Beyond This World
by EverythingIsKawaii
Summary: Escaping the horrors of home, Amara finds herself in Middle Earth looking for the parents she has never had. While staying in Rivendell she meets Legolas, an elf who seems to be hiding his own secret and trying to come to terms with his mother's death, which he suspects has been murdered. Teaming up they help each other learn about their pasts which prove to be just as dark.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I am only posting this once because I don't feel like putting it on every chapter, but I do not take any credit for J.R. 's work/characters. I do however take credit for my own characters/places/things and anyone attempting to steal my ideas will be dealt with accordingly. My story is my own and was created to be fun for me and my readers. In saying that, my story is more closely following the lines of the books and not the movies. Although I do have some movie moments and characters written in, but it is only to correlate with my story and make it interesting. I hope everyone enjoys and has fun with the story, comment your favorite parts, offer constructive criticism. I understand everyone has their own personal view of Tolkien's works and how they interpret it, this story is simply my own. This is why it's called fanfiction. Thank you EverythingIsKawaii.

—

Chapter 1 Thunder

Still around the corner there may wait

A new road or a secret gate;

An though I oft have passed them by

A day will come at last when I

Shall take the hidden paths that run

West of the Moon and East of the Sun

I have often wondered why people dream. The simple state of the mind where we rest our bodies can turn into wild altered realities of unlimited imagination. More than often these dreams we have are memories throughout our day, our deepest desires or our darkest fears. If one is more talented lucid dreaming can be ensued and one can control their dreams and bend it to their favor. But what if there was something more than just dreaming? What if it was another world entirely?

"We can't keep meeting like this." I breathed out in a whisper to my cup of hot coffee, its divine aroma tickled my nose. "I love you too much to have to make you on unpleasant circumstances."

I had woken up again to another sleepless night. My mind had been plagued as of late due to a reoccurring nightmare. However, I could not think of anything that would make it keep spurring on for months. All the same dream, an endless run through an a dark forest covered in blood from head to foot while being hunted down like an animal by an unknown entity. The panting, the sweat, the adrenaline. It had grown extremely tiring of late constantly waking up in the early morning hours. At least this time I had made to 5 am.

Today was the first day of Spring Break and as was tradition with my friends, we would be going on a camping trip. Five days of living outdoors, setting s'mores on fire, swimming in the icy ocean waters and exploring all of Olympic National Forest's hiking trails. At least for my friends.

Sipping the last of my coffee, I washed up my cup in the sink and carefully made my way up the stairs. I didn't want to wake _him_ up. His wife was a nurse at the hospital and her shift didn't start till 6, but she always woke up extra early to try and doll herself up. I wasn't exactly sure if it was for herself or to get the attention of her husband she rarely saw. As I reached the top of the stairs I could see the tiniest peek of her in the bathroom trying to put on an extra layer of mascara, her mouth was gapped open like a fish as she watched herself in the mirror. She shoved the tiny wand back into the tube and gave her blonde hair one more fluff before she came out. Her eyes spotted me and she let out a sigh of pity.

"Again?" she asked, she didn't even jump anymore at my early morning rises.

I nodded

"Are you sure you'll be able to do this trip?"

"Yea." I shrugged "It'll be good to get out for awhile."

A small smile made its way to her face.

"Just try to have fun, ok? I worry about you and those…dreams." She rubbed my arms

"I will. Thanks Susan."

She adjusted her purse on her shoulder and made her way down the stairs.

"Oh, I put in an extra Keurig cup for you." I added in, leaning over the side of the railing.

"Thank you Amara. I must say despite you having these episodes at least you never forget to make me coffee before work." Her self centered response instantly put a sour taste in my mouth as I decided to make my exit. Susan was a nice lady but her head was more focused around her work than thinking of others. I couldn't wait to leave.

I quietly made my way to my room and I shut the door as softly as I could, sliding the chain on it. For a while I was safe. At least till my friends came and got me. Looking around my room it more or less resembled a disaster area than a living place. I had clothes strung about in every which direction where I had been packing. My brown leather backpack looked like a overblown beach ball sitting on my bed with all the stuff packed into it. Anymore and I was afraid the seams would bust. I couldn't help it I was indecisive. I knew this would be my last day here in this hell hole of a home, but where I was going I had no idea. I was going to be a traveler without a destination.

I wondered over to my window and slid up the frame and was met with a salty aired kiss. No matter how many times I had seen the ocean it always mesmerized me in a way I could not describe. Maybe it was the way it moved, or the smell, or the way the light played upon the water making shimmer like diamonds. No, it was its' power. The ocean was big and strong, able to go wherever it wanted, when it wanted. It had the power to sink ships and mow down the earth with its' force, yet it was a giver of life, providing a home to all sorts of creatures. I stared in awe and wonder at it all and then slowly the first light of the morning started to appear. In my own ritual, I took off the camisole I was wearing along with my pajama shorts and underwear, and I was completely bare before Heaven and Earth. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply as I was baptized in sunlight and the salt of the sea; feeling the warm rays caress my body like a long lost lover.

 _"_ _Where am I going? Where will I go?"_ my thoughts filled me with anxiety.

And like an answer from above a cold wind blew in, violently making me aware how naked I was. My eyes opened and I hurried to shut the window.

 _"_ _Maybe this is a bad omen…just like Ashley said."_

A reflection of a girl in the window startled me. Her dark hair came to her collarbones, laying over them like a blanket. Sharp green wide eyes had been hit by the sun's rays that haloed their center, over them arched full brows. You could see lines everywhere, from the frames of her body to the outlines of her inner structure. Then I realized it was me. Only I didn't recognize me. I had lost more weight. This time not intentionally. This girl looked like a sleep deprived sorry sap.

I drew away from the window and decided to get dressed. Since the nippy experience from the window I thought it best to put on one of my more insulated skinny jeans, thick socks and a thick hooded sweater. Over my sweater I put on my corduroy brown jacket with the sherpa fleece at the collar, zipping it up for more padded warmth. Last but not least were my duck boots.

A light caught my eye off to the side towards my dresser where laid my most prized possession. It was a simple colorless jewel no bigger than an grape. It was adorned with a rose gold chain that when worn it would hang down nearly to the center of my sternum, the stone itself hung down like a tear drop. It was the only thing that I had of them, my parents. That and a lone scrap piece of paper with my name scribbled down, water stained from memories of long ago. I draped the necklace over my head and tucked the jewel down inside my hoodie. I looked once more at my reflection in the mirror still not recognizing the girl in the glass, the cracked glass.

" _Well that's new."_

I heard a loud honk from outside. The glass didn't matter now, my friends were here, my escape had came.

" _Pretty sure I have everything"_

I slung on my backpack and quietly made my way down the carpeted stairs careful to not make a sound.

"Running off so soon?" I halted my motions as I reached the bottom and saw my so called "father" in the kitchen off to the side. I glanced quickly out the window of the front door and back to him. He was a middle aged, narcissistic, alcoholic, sheriff. The irony of this set up was that I had met Sheriff McCullough before becoming his foster child when he had caught me on the numerous occasions where I had ran away from my other foster homes. Of course he just so happen to come along to become my next foster family or in my case my own personal prison. I had often heard he liked working on juvenile cases on the force, especially young girls for a reason. And who would question a man of the law? Recently he had been out of touch, loosing interest in his wife and seemed to be giving me a lot of long eyed looks lately. He was sitting in his uniform, drinking coffee at the table, his dark hair was slicked back from either hair gel or hair grease from not showering. He had a bushy 1970's mustache which he probably thought gave him a macho man look but it just added to his creepiness.

"Um yea. We were going to head out early. Remember?" I was praying I could get out quick and not get stalled by him.

He swirled and sipped up the last of his coffee. His cup clinked on the table as he set it down to come over to me, slowly striating beefing himself up to make himself look more intimating. I had seen him do it many a time to punk teenagers and to me.

"Quinault area? Five days?" he questioned putting on his bad cop mask

"Yes." I said flatly

His eyebrows raised up and beady dark eyes peered down at me clearly waiting for another response

"Sir."

He nodded his head

"No funny stuff now. I have friends all in that area that would love to bring you all back home. You...maybe that blow head blonde cheerleader." he said as he glanced at my friends.

I internally vomited in my mind. How on earth did this man work for law enforcement and still have a job? He looked back at me and his hand came up to caress my face and instinctively I jerked back out of his reach. He sneered and drew his arm back.

"Well have a nice time while it lasts. Once you get home. Things my be different around here. Then you may really have something to wake up about in the morning and it might be a real nightmare then." he unlatched the front door and opened it. I put on a fake smile of my own.

"Gee I can't wait." I left quickly slipping out the door and made it to Chris's van and climbed in, shutting the slide door, never looking back at him.

"You kids have fun. Don't get into any trouble." I heard him call from the door like the oh so concerned parent that he was.

"Fuckin' bastard." Nick's thick Irish accent drawled out.

"That man literally makes my skin crawl. How do you live with him?" Jocelyn asked giving one last stink eye to my foster dad before we drove off.

"You don't it's a prison." my voice spat out.

"Soon it won't be." Ashley grabbed my hand reassuringly. I smiled and sat back in my seat and tried to enjoy the scenery out the window as we drove off.

I have lived in Cedar Coast Washington all of my life and living on the coast had its perks. You could see the ocean up and down for miles, it's dark waters crashing like never-ending explosions against the jagged towering rocks. Its sandy beaches instantly joined up with the mossy forest line that traveled inland creating the mountain scape further north. It's elusive beauty could make anyone go wanderlust. Sunshine was rare in our state since it mostly rains but today it looked like it would grace us with its presence

"Oi Alice in wonderland. How far up is yer head in the caterpillars arse?" Nick teased at me. I gave a playful glare at him as he stuck out a joint in his hand for me.

"Seriously?"

"Hey, its not like he can get another piss test out of ya."

Usually I didn't engage, well, more like couldn't engage in substance activities. But for once I felt carefree, like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I gave him a smirk and leaned into him, taking the joint from his hand.

"You know I believe you are quite right."

—-

I laid back on the frosty earth and looked up at the starry night sky, picking out constellations here and there. The serene atmosphere left me in a sense of awestruck wonder and beauty. Gases of galaxies and solar systems with worlds of their own made you wonder if there was an unknown land somewhere out there with people looking at us and had the same opinion of our little world. My newfound high was starting to wear off by the days end. An exhilarating experience that strangely left me starving. I brought my hand up and waved to the sky.

 _"_ _Hello fellow humanoids...do you see me?"_

"Who are you waving to?" Ashley's dark figure shadowed over my face from above

I smiled. It did look rather ridiculous

"Oh the aliens.." I threw my hand and rested it behind my head

She rolled her eyes and sat down beside me, her face turning from amusement to emotionless in a minute. The sudden change in her demeanor concerned me and I decided to switch to Japanese, the language of her family, so prying ears couldn't hear.

(What?)

(I'm going to miss you) Her pale skin glowed in the moonlight, but shiny lines ran down her cheeks as she tried to brush them away.

This peaked my curiosity.

(Did you have another vision?)

(Yes...it will happen tonight...but then you will disappear again..you must go before the storm comes)

(Storm?... But its supposed to be clear all week)

She shook her head.

(No you don't understand...I confirmed it with Granny...you disappear not from this future vision...but ours as well..something is going to happen to you and I'm scared)

I sat up suddenly at this new information. Ashley and her grandmother were known to share a talent of seeing into the future. I didn't understand the ways of how they saw the future but they were never wrong. However, that's not what drew me to them, it was when I was first taken into their care years ago and Granny had read my fortune and said I had no future. I was the first person she had ever encountered that had such a reading and it slightly disturbed her. It was only till recently she started seeing my future...the dark woods..a long journey...blood..and happiness. That was all she said one day out of the blue, but now was I to meet my impending death into eternal life..or something else?

"Nothing will happen," my voice held determination as I grasped her hand tightly "I promise." Her dark brown eyes glistened with tears threatening to spill but she took a deep breath and pushed them back nodding her head in understanding.

Then a low rumble sounded in the sky. Like I said they are never wrong.

"You must go...take your stuff and go..hurry!" anticipation filled her voice, she got up and grabbed my backpack and shoved it into my unsuspecting arms.

I stood up hesitantly looking around the clearing.

"Which way? It could be any direction?" the rumble started to grow louder. She grabbed and twirled me around and shoved me forward.

"Go! Just go Amara!" her voice strained in earnest

Looking back at her at a final glimpse of her a change came over her face.

"Ashley?"

Her body seized up and her eyes turned a blinding shade of white...a vision.

"Beware the golden haired man despite the demon he slew, evil is his past. House of sun and of leaves..."

"What?" I strained to hear here against the oncoming storm "Ashley what do you see?"

"A white staffed man."

Her eyes refocused and gained back their color, her body dropped to the ground though she caught herself with her hands. I started to come to her when she yelled out for Nick. Suddenly I was hit with a hard body and arms circled around me. All I could was stare at Ashley in horror. Not like this.

"Ashley no!"

"Sorry pixie stick." came Nick's solemn words and in a flash we were gone and in the deeper part of the woods in an instant.

Only I was alone. I knew what he had done, but it hurt like a bitch. I squeezed my eyes hard trying not to cry. She knew I wouldn't have the strength to leave them, knowing they were my only family, so she did it for me. Now only the future was in front of me and it was time to go.

—

I bolted off into the woods and had been running, never looking back. The onslaught of torrential downpour was becoming heavier by the minute and I was soaked, frozen to the bone. Scattered streaks of lightening lit the sky in bright flashes, crackling and hissing in their dance. My path was only lit briefly at times when the lightening flashed other than that I was running blind.

How in the hell can this be their vision?!

I kept my pace pressing and moving forward even though my lungs burned for air. I was going to need to find shelter soon before I caught a cold or hypothermia if I wanted to make this out alive. Stopping briefly I searched the dark woods for some brush, an overhang, even a hole in a tree at this point; I could see nothing till my eyes saw the out line of a small cave about 30ft away. I made a quick run for it, but all of a sudden it seemed like time had stopped. I could see the rain moving ever so slowly, each and every drop hovered in the air. My body felt out of place too with my movements becoming weighed down and hard to move. The lightening...it was so beautiful spidering through the sky like veins.

Have you ever got that feeling when you turn on a light switch and the electricity comes back and bites you and makes your hair stand on end well this is what it felt like only a thousand times worse. A crash of lightening slammed with a force of a bomb in front of me, sending shocks through my body till I almost believed I was on fire and shook with such a blast that it sent me flying back. The blinding light erased my senses that I didn't feel myself hitting the ground under a tree. With the wind blown out of my lungs I gasped for air like a drowning man. The cool rain hit my face with water droplets from the canopy of the tree, but even the water burned like acid. My body finally calmed from the shock and slowly my mind strayed from consciousness and left me in a dark slumber.

They say the first sense that comes to you is hearing when you are unconscious and I was relieved to hear for once, not a raging mad storm, but tranquil winds blowing softly in a canopy sea of trees. The rustle of leaves from above was gentle and comforting. I slowly opened my eyes and instantly regretted it. I had, had hangovers before, but this was beyond any simple hangover. Bright light pierced my eyes into my skull like knives and I had double vision...no triple...quadruple? I pressed my hands into my sockets and rubbed them frivolously to see straight. When I sat up that was mistake number two. Just like a hangover I lost all the contents of my stomach on the ground to the side of me. My head was pounding and I could see tiny black dots in my vision as they pulsed with the sound of my heartbeat.

" _Fuck..I'm never drinking again...ever...for a few weeks at least."_ I thought to myself bitterly.

I pushed myself up from the ground with effort and brushed away leaves and debris from my clothes. I was surprised not find one burned spot on my body. As I looked at my surroundings I could find no trace of a lightening bolt scorched ground or even a sign I was thrown back by the blast. Surely I didn't dream this up.

Crack.

" _And there went my back. Definitely didn't dream this up."_

My mouth felt dry and sticky and I knew I was going to need to find water soon. I had a water bottle, but I knew it was empty.

 _"_ _Guess I better get trekking"_

I hobbled along through the brush my vision betraying me now and again to the level of the landscape. Despite my sudden frame of state the scenery was beautiful. Large trees that towered like skyscrapers flooded the forest and every verity of plant life was everywhere. The sun shown through the green ceiling of tree leaves sparkling like emerald gems and it was warm and inviting. Warm. Warm. It was warm? I stopped a moment in my tracks. It's nearly April it shouldn't be warm. I felt for my phone in my jeans pocket and turned it on. Miraculously it had survived as it came to life...and said no signal.

 _"_ _What do you mean no signal?! I full coverage you stupid piece of fuck!"_

Actually it was no signal, no 4G, no nothing.

 _"_ _So I'm lost. Ok no problem I'll turn on my GPS signal and it'll find me."_

It didn't. Actually my GPS couldn't even find my location all it showed was a world map. Shutting it off to save the battery since it was pointless keeping it on, I surveyed my surroundings again. Where exactly was I? I couldn't be no more than 10 miles from camp yet I heard no noise from other people nor the rush of nearby cars or see any visible trails. I was very much indeed lost.

 _"_ _Amara don't freak out. Use your brain. You're in the south part of the park. North on a tree is where the moss grows. So go opposite and you'll find the end the park and possibly a trail and a park ranger. No big deal."_

And that's exactly what I was going to do, but a feeling of being watched came over me. The forest was oddly quiet and unnerving. Adrenaline started to course through me and I was ready to spring and run at the littlest of movement. A faint call of a morning dove echoed through the forest yet no other birds or wildlife seemed to be active. The only thing active in that moment was the sharp pain in my left shoulder where an arrow made it's presence known through my back and protruded through on the other side making blood pour down the front of my jacket and shirt.

"The fuck?!" I gritted my teeth in pain as my hand hesitantly touched the tip. I whipped my head and looked behind me to hear three different movements through the brush, but couldn't see anyone. I had to move and move now! I fled the other way, putting one foot in front of the other, pumping air into my lungs to keep going. My pursuers were hot on my trail and gaining quickly. Pushing myself on I moved quicker with the previous adrenaline coursing through my veins, my movements became easier and I started to out gain them.

 _"_ _At least track practice paid off."_

Before I knew it I heard the sound of a rushing stream.

If I could get there I could jump in and wash down stream and go with the current. No way in hell was I going to be some sick creep's prey.

Crashing down I made my destination and burst through the tree line only to be disappointed. It was shallow creek. I would have to move on and get to the other side if I wanted to further my escape. Carefully I hobbled through the rushing waters, splashing my way as quickly as I could.

" **Daro**!" a deep masculine voiced yelled from behind before I could make it all the way across, leaving my paralyzed in calf deep cold water.

I turned slowly and saw the strangest looking man I had ever seen. He was dressed in almost a medieval type of attire in darkest of green or was it black. From the near knee length coat, the leggings, the boots, even a cloak to match, he looked every bit the part. The only thing that contrasted badly was his long blonde hair, pale skin, and ears peeking out from the sides..with tips. However, his long white bow and quiver of arrows looked very authentic. He peered at me with a hard gaze with his dark eyes and sharp features, but as he stood there his face smoothed out, his brows un-furrowed and eyes grew wide. He carefully put down his armed weapon that was pointed at me and we held our gazes for what seemed like an eternity. Even though he was dressed so strangely he was rather handsome in old time roguish way. Though pale skin and blonde he had dark thick brows featured his face well along with a broad nose and thin lips. His hair was pulled back by braids on the sides and in the back.

" **Who are you?"**

His deep voice split the silence between us. It was soft and gentle, but I had no idea what he was saying.

" _Who knows Amara it could be sweet words to kill you with...or rape you."_ My morbid subconscious told me.

My head started pounding again and my double vision was getting worse making it hard to focus on him.

" **Do you speak elvish milady?"**

His entrancing voice spoke again and he took a step further and I took a step back.

" **Please let me help you.."**

Though kind and gentle I stayed cautious. More movement came from the brush behind him. Out charging through, were two more men that was dressed the same as he was, just as heavily armed, but the only difference was that they had dark brown hair.

" _Fuck this he has a posse!"_

I made the decision right then and there that I was beyond outnumbered and who was to say they would rape me and kill me. Turning back to my previous course I made the rest of the way through the stream and onto dry land again. My body seemed to be shifting back into a drunken state again as I was starting to feel sleepy and running in jagged directions. I could hear the men's distorted voices from behind me and they seemed to be yelling fervently at one another. I made my body push harder, running faster till I came to and obstacle. I fallen tree came to view in my path, but looked jumpable. I paced myself just like I had done when I used to run track and sized up my distance. In one fell jump I folded my body forward, one leg in front and one behind, surprisingly making it over the fallen dead tree. However, the only thing I didn't prepare for was the landing.

As I made it to the other side there was an entanglement of roots and my foot went crashing through it lodging itself and twisting it till I fell face first into the earth. My ankle screamed in pain and the arrow that had only made a small appearance coming through the anterior part of my shoulder had somehow snapped off the arrow head. Out of pain and frustration I managed to grab the back part of the arrow and pull it out. I knew this wasn't entirely the smartest thing to do as my vision began to blur and my body weakened due to blood loss. In one last failed attempt I tried to free my ankle, but it was no use it was lodged too tightly in the tree roots. My breathing started to slow and my vision swam until I finally succumbed to unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: I just wanted to let everyone know that the dialogue in bold is in Elvish and the one that is not bold is in English. Just an FYI. Enjoy!

Chapter 2 A New Beginning

A flurry of commotions coming from the courtyard disturbed me from my work and the voices I dully recognized were that of my two sons, Elrohir and Elladan.

 ** _"_** ** _Dear Eru what have they done now?"_** I sighed in frustration

Tossing my quill in the ink pot that sat upon my desk I arose, scuffing my chair back on the stone floor making my way to the balcony to peer down to see what the ruckus was about. My dark haired sons were trailing hotly behind Legolas who appeared to be carrying an unconscious being into the healing house with haste.

 ** _"_** ** _This doesn't appear to be good."_**

I exited my study and briskly made my way through the corridors of my house and over the walkways. I could remember the countless times when my sons would get into trouble when they were younger. Whether it was trying to shoot each other with arrows or trying to see if they could hack off each others hair in a sword duel. I always knew they had done something when they started heading towards the healing house. I was nearly there as I reached the top of the steps to the entrance when I saw Elladan running towards me.

 **"Hunting game and you bring back a person. You do know that cannibalism is frowned upon in our society"**. I jested with him with a small smile.

 **"Very funny father."** his voiced dripped with sarcasm **"This is not something we planned on..honest this time.** "

 **"Last time you shot your brother in the rear end for doubling as you to a dance, to try to court a woman you liked, if I remember correctly."** His disheveled appearance and opposing glare made the memory of the incident all the more hilarious.

 **"As much as I would love to catch up on memory lane we need your help. Legolas accidentally shot a woman while were hunting and mistook her for an animal..his eyesight is getting worse father."**

 **"This I know, but the question is why did you take Legolas out hunting when you know his eyesight is growing poor?"** I questioned sternly.

 **"He has been living in his room like a hermit father. He needs to get out and breathe fresh air. Being cooped up in his room does not help him.** " Elladan defended his actions

 **"Although I appreciate you trying to comfort your friend I would rather him stay here. At least that way I can keep a close eye on him should problems arise. He is in no condition to go dallying about anymore."** The defeated look on his face reminded him just how dire Legolas's condition really was. I put and arm around his shoulder and turned him back towards the he had came and proceeded that way.

 **"No doubt the other healers are treating our guest but how do she fare?"** I changed the topic trying concentrate on my newly acquired patient. Elladan sensed this and began telling me the tale of the incident of the young woman. Nothing of major concern of the arrow wound. The narcotic of sleeping serum the arrows are laced with would expel out of her system within a few hours, but no doubt be the most drugged induced sleep she has ever had. Although, I did want to take a look at her ankle to double check for any serious injury.

 **"But father I must say she is the oddest woman I have ever seen. From her physical features to her attire she is very foreign...I...I do not even think she is from our time."**

Now that was something I did not expect to hear.

 **"Tell me son."** my curiosity was peaked

 **"Her hair is dark as night, but in sunlight it's sheen is almost burgundy. No doubt the darkest red head I have ever seen. She wears men's clothing, but the material or style is not one I am familiar with. She must have been traveling somewhere she had provisions on her."** Elladan held up a large brown leather bag I presumed belonged to her. Perhaps we would have to inspect were she was from if she was indeed odd and foreign.

Upon hearing these words I was perplexed as well as suspicious. We stopped outside the door where the young woman was being held and treated and I questioned him further.

 **"Does she speak elvish?"**

 **"Nay, she did not appear to understand Legolas when he spoke to her."**

 **"Common?"**

 **"We did not get a chance to try it before she darted off."**

I nodded at his statement and proceeded to enter the room. Two other elleth healers were bustling about treating the young woman that laid on the bed. One was finishing up stitching and the other was preparing wraps for her left ankle. I inspected the ankle with care turning it back and forth, up and down, looking for breaks, but found none.

 ** _"_** ** _With the increased swelling it appears to be just a major sprain. I will work up some medicine for the inflammation."_**

 **"Put some of the paste to numb the pain. I do not want her to wake up in discomfort."** I instructed the healer preparing her wraps and she agreed. I took a full glance at the this strange woman and I could see why my son said she was so strange. She was just as he described though quite filthy from her excursion from the woods. Stepping nearer for a closer inspection I noticed a sparkle of a necklace that glinted in the sunlight making its hidden appearance known. It's champagne rose chain appeared to be quite long and drape down to the inside of her tunic. Curiosity got the better of me and I tugged up on the chain and a pure white gem made its presence, cut in delicate pear.

 ** _"_** ** _No...it can't be…Almarëa…"_**

But it was her. Right down to her narrow nose to her strange hair that she was born with. 17 years...17 of the longest years that she had been gone and hidden away from our world. Now she had returned. Quickly I tucked her necklace down her tunic she was wearing and made turn to leave.

 **"Father...are you ok? You look like you have seen a ghost."** Elladan's voice pierced my thoughts unexpectedly from the doorway as I looked towards him.

 **"Where is your mother? Get your brother as well...we need to talk. Get Glorfindel too."** I said in a hurried whisper.

 **"Elrohir is with Legolas and I think mother is in the gardens with Glorfindel helping gather herbs...father what's wrong?"** his brows furrowed in confused

 **"Not here...somewhere private, my study."**

Seeing my changed demeanor he left to go fetch them. Throwing one last glance at her sleeping form, my heart warmed with happiness.

 ** _"_** ** _Welcome home..daughter."_**

—

 **"Our sister?"** Elladan stated skeptically as he looked from his father to his mother.

 **"Indeed it is her that is no lie, but this should stay between us. Last thing we need is for everyone in Middle Earth to know she is back. Even though the ring has been destroyed evil still lurks. We are fortunate you and Legolas found her and not some wandering hellish creature from Mordor."**

 **"Except that Legolas shot her."** Elrohir added in.

 **"Right now I am willing to over look that. She has no serious injuries."** I defended.

 **"Father if she is who you say she is should she not be just a mere child? She looks much too old to be just seventeen. Seventeen maybe in human years, but not in elf life."** Elladan's rebuttal was still in disbelief.

 **"I know it is very hard to believe, but it is her. You two were not here when she was born. Last I recall you two were on that excursion with Aragorn in the wilds for a couple of years. We chose never to tell you came back because of the risks that were involved. The less people who knew the better. Our only choice was to send her away. When she was 8 months old Gandalf put a spell upon her, mimicking the growth of that of a mortal. Glorfindel left that night with her and there was a raging storm. However, where she grew up is still a mystery to your mother and I. He said he had ended up in a city that was so otherworldly it was beyond imagination that he believed he had traveled time itself. He left her on a doorstep of a house and waited nearby until someone answered and took her in. That was the last he had saw of her."**

My mind drifted back to the memory of that night. We knew we had to do it, but it killed us to. Her fate had been foreseen and I would not see an innocent child's life be corrupted by the evil of this world. My wife had wept for days mourning as though she was dead. Now as I looked on her face I saw not tears of mourning, but tears of joy. A knock came and I allowed entrance to Glorfindel, who entered with a confused look of the sudden meeting.

 **"Good you are here. What I need to tell you needs to stay in this room. No one is to know this. And we will need to send word to Gandalf and soon."** I told him firmly

His brows furrowed and browsed our faces for clues.

 **"Old friend should I be worried or joyful? Your words seem to have a double meaning."**

 **"And right you are. Almarëa has returned to us."**

His eyes widened at the new found knowledge

 **"I see. Joyful it is, but dangerous as well."** His head bowed towards me slightly **" I will hold my silence, have no fear. I will proceed on as it is**."

I nodded at his words. There was no need to overbear her with knowledge of her true heritage until it seemed fit. It was better off to let her tune herself into this life and become comfortable. There was no need for her to become afraid and run off. At least not like Aragorn did when he learned of his true self.

 **"Very well then we all shall say nothing, agreed?"** I asked my audience. Each one murmured an agreement and was dismissed though my wife stayed behind. Her gentle hands snaked into my own, warm body pressed against mine. Thousands of years together and each day she knew how to take my breath away with her love and beauty.

 **"Can I see her?"**

I peered down at her desperate face.

 **"Cele it may not be a good thing right this moment. We do not want to draw attention to ourselves. How about when she awakens? Maybe you can present her with some bath soaps. I know she will more than likely want to bathe from the journey she has had."**

Her small face lit up like a radiant star and she kissed me on the cheek

 **"Thank you my love."**

Just when I was about to give her a full kiss another interruption came from the door, stealing our moment. A devilish smirk crossed her lips and she slipped away from my grasp.

 **"Till later my love."** she opened he door and allowed Legolas in and she in turn let herself out. She knew how to rile me and by hell she would suffer the tortures of pleasure tonight.

 **"Legolas. Please come in."** I waved for him to come in and have a seat. The young elf came and sat as straight a rod, no doubt trying to look as grown up as he could, but I could see faults in his posture from his weary body.

 **"Lord Elrond if you give me a moment to explain.."** I cut him off unexpectedly with a raise of my hand.

 **"There is nothing to explain. Elladan told me what happened and it is not your fault. Though I must say it was not the wisest decision going out hunting in your condition. You could have had an episode, what then? What would I tell your father about his son in my care that decided to go dallying about when he should not?"**

His annoyed glare turned away from me. He knew he had, had this conversation one too many times before. His condition was that of a rare one and not something he liked to talk about, but over the course of the past several months it had grown worse and worse. It was why his father had put him in my care. He had been undergoing treatments to slow the progression and they had been working, but his spirit was starting to give up. Now, every time he had an attack he would fight taking a treatment. He was wanting to die.

 **"My heart is fine. And if I want to spend my last days doing what I like then so be it. It is my body. I did not seek these treatments."** I could hear the bitterness in his tone.

 **"No your father did because he loves you."** His body involuntary stiffened at the mention of his father and I knew it was touchy subject to approach. Last I knew they were not on good terms.

 **"What was your reason in coming to me this evening?"** I quickly changed the subject so not to cause a tiff between him and I. I knew it would get us nowhere and we would be arguing the rest of the night.

 **"I came...I came to vow my life to the girl. What I did has been plaguing my mind and I want to help her."**

The extent of surprises today was starting to take a toll on me. The last thing I wanted was for the King of Greenwood to get word of this strange occurrence.

 **"Legolas you do not.."** I started to protest.

 **"Please..it is the least I can do for her. She is an innocent being. And what I have done is only forgivable by her."** His persistence on the matter was quite unusual. He had barely taken any interest anything since his stay here and now he wished for her to be his ward…my daughter. I wanted to help Almarea myself. Though being her father I didn't want to force any subject of her past on her. There was one way to tame a wild horse and forcing it to your will was not the way. She would need to learn to trust the elves here, learn our ways, form friendships. And right now that was not me. Knowing myself I would spoil it if I became frustrated with her and it would ruin everything. I could not do that to Celebrian or our other children. I could not rob them in the chance of getting to know their sister. I did not want a repeat of nearly 70 years ago.

Then it clicked. Maybe this could work. If Legolas stayed here and looked out for her, maybe he would get her comfortable enough where she would stay as well. And for the sake of his health he would stay put and not go running off. It seemed like a pretty good plan or as they say kill two birds with one stone.

 **"Very well then. I suppose you can start with dinner. The drug will be wearing off soon and I bet she has to be hungry. Try not to scare her too much."** He seemed to perk up at this. He rose to leave, but I stopped him before he made it out the door.

 **"I was serious in what I said Legolas."** I said sternly hoping to get the point across. He looked back, meeting me eye for eye.

 **"So was I..Milord."**

 **—**

I woke up out of my coma like state to find myself staring at swirls...or vines...I'm not sure what they were, but they were pretty white swirls. My bearings started to come back to me and my brain finally realized I was staring at a pattern on a ceiling.

 _"_ _Well that makes more sense."_

The bed I was currently laying in was covered in a color of soft yellow and had the silkiest sheets imaginable, even the comforter was soft and fluffy. The four posts of the bed were made of a white bark, but you could see silver veins running down if you looked just the right way the light hit. Speaking of light, the only light here in the room was coming from a small fireplace by the foot of the bed and the light of the full moon from outside shining in. From this illumination I could see it was a small room with a table and chairs. And beside it a window of paned balcony doors trimmed in wood. A tall wardrobe cabinet that was to the right of the fireplace and small desk to the left of me. The only question now was, how did I get here?

I sat up shoving the covers to the side and instantly regretted all movement. My right shoulder started screaming. My body felt like it got hit by a train then put in reverse and backed over again. My left foot was wrapped up in ace like bandage and felt kind of tingly.

 _"_ _Oh that's right...the guy and the stupid ass tree. He must've kidnapped me and brought me here."_

I looked around the room once again and had to admit it was pretty.

 _"_ _Well, at least my kidnapper has taste."_

I stood up and was surprised that I felt no pain. It was as if my foot was numb, but not the bad kind of numb where your foot falls asleep. Holding onto the bed post and grabbing the chair near the balcony door I guided my way over to inspect the outside in my unsteady gait. Peering out the window I gasped in awe of the large illuminated city below. It sat perfectly off the mountain side in a creviced valley and curtained in the back were glistening waterfalls. It robbed the word beauty by its own grandeur. There were numerous buildings, a vast network of pathways and bridges all lit up by lamps lighting the way in the night. It was utterly breath taking.

 _"_ _Yes but Amara just where in wonderland are you? How far down the rabbit hole did you go?"_

A knock at the door pulled me from my awestruck wonder. With a quick decision I grabbed a poker from the fireplace set, armed myself, and readied for a fight. There was no way I was going to back down easy despite my injured state.

A young woman walked in with a tray covered dish, but as she finally laid eyes on me she gave out a little squeak when she saw I had the poker in hand and at a stance. She muttered something that I couldn't understand and right behind her entered the blonde haired man that had shot me from earlier. The woman hastily sat down the tray on the table and left, but the man remained. Upon seeing him my emotions became hot and I gripped my weapon tighter.

"You bastard. So did you come to finish the job?!" I snarled at him

"I could not even if I tried. Besides it was quite a misunderstanding." his calm voice echoed in the room.

"A misunderstanding he says, yet he shoots me with a fucking arrow!"

His face grimaced from what I can assume is my choice of words.

"I mistook you..for an animal. I was hunting game with Lord Elrond's sons and from your brown satchel and coat I thought you were a deer. Believe me when I say I was horrified to discover I did not shoot a deer, but you instead. For that I am deeply sorry."

He sounded so sincere and genuine that I couldn't help to believe him. His features held a sullen look to them now that I saw him at a closer range and less in a so drunken state. My emotions started in cool down, but I kept my poker at the ready. I wanted answers and I wasn't going to get fooled by kind words.

"Who are you and where am I?" My voice remained firm.

"I am Legolas of the Woodland realm and you are in Imladris or as you human folk call it Rivendell"

One of my eyebrows shot up in skepticism.

"Rivendell? Human folk? You make it seem like I'm an alien to you. You're human too… aren't you?"

 _"_ _At least shouldn't you be?"_ My thoughts questioned

"Have you never met an elf before?" he asked this time his turn to be perplexed.

"No" I stated bluntly.

An awkward silence settled in the room as reality began to awaken before me. If I was not in Washington, let alone on Earth, then where was I? More importantly how did I get here? I lowered the poker and my gaze turned from him. What if this what Ashley saw? No wonder she didn't see a future for me I wasn't even on the same planet. Kind of like how radios get waves from the air only I was on a different frequency.

"Milady..please calm yourself..sit down" he guided me over to the table and set me down in a chair. I hadn't noticed that I started hyperventilating and shaking. I was going into shock.

"Milady..it is alright there is nothing to be scared of. Just breathe." he laid a gentle hand on my arm.

"I guess I can assume...I'm not in Washington state?" my voice started to crack.

His brows furrowed and he shook his head "I'm sorry milady.."

"America?"

He shook his head again.

"Earth?"

Once again he shook his head. Tears silently fell and escaped down my face. Where the hell was I? His hand was cool against my hot face as he wiped away my tears with his thumbs

"Do not cry milady. I am not sure how you got here, but I will try to help you. Now why don't you have something to eat and we will start with your name." he pulled up a chair and took the lid off the plate, revealing a small feast of meats and vegetables.

Hesitantly, I took a fork and took some vegetables, eating them slowly. The carrots and asparagus where savoring, melting right in my mouth. They tasted so fresh, almost as if they were pulled from the ground this morning. The meat was venison. I had only had it on a couple of occasions, but this was so tender it practically fell off my fork. I had forgotten my guest for a moment in my delirious food craved state and sipped the wine that was present to wash it down.

"Sorry, my name is Amara. I'm from Cedar Coast Washington in America."

"And where is this..exactly?"

"Well, from what I can tell it's on...an entirely different planet.." my voice still shook with emotion.

"I see. Do you know how you ended up in the woods outside of Imladris?"

This is where I decided to leave out the details of Ashley's visions and of Granny. Try to stick to a more logical truth.

"It was stupid of me really. My friends and I were traveling through the woods and we had camped for the night. I decided to take a hike late in the evening and a storm came through out of nowhere. Before I knew it I was soaked to the bone and was almost struck by lightening. It happened right in front of me and threw me back, knocking me out. I woke up the next morning and I thought I was in the same woods...apparently not." It was partially the truth, but sounded believable.

"I must say that is quite a tale," his voice held a tinge of ice."Now why don't you tell me the truth." He locked eyes on me in the most unnatural way as if he was looking into my soul.

"That was the truth. I don't know how to make it any plainer than that." My voice getting defensive.

He smirked a little.

"Dear girl I am a seasoned warrior and have been all my life and I have experience interrogating the enemy. I know when I am being lied to."

I had no doubt in my mind he was who he said he was. Especially after our escapade in the woods. I wasn't sure how they treated people of possible lunacy in this world so I had to tread lightly. I wasn't in the mood to get burned at the stake anytime soon.

"I'm telling you the truth. It may sound crazy, but it's the truth." I told him dead in the eye.

"Oh I believe you when you say you are from a different world. Your mannerisms, speech and attire say that much. It is before you got here I am having trouble believing. There is something you are not telling me and I will find out." He stood abruptly and headed towards the door.

"It will be much easier if you tell me. You may as well know I have vowed myself to Lord Elrond to see to your well being after our encounter earlier. I am at your service till I can get you home," he looked over his shoulder at me "and please...try not to scare the maids with anymore fire pokers." he smiled softly and left closing the door with a click.

His change in mood had me rethinking my situation. Was I his guest..or his prisoner?

—

The morning rays came through the balcony windows and shone about the room warming the chilled air. I hunkered down further into the soft downy comforter trying to keep myself warm from the cold. I was so used to central heating I had little experience without it. And the quiet...it was so quiet. I was used to city traffic but the silence was maddening in itself. I had slept well from last night, but that may have been the wine's fault from the dinner tray the maid had brought me. When I had finished the dinner the poor maid had come back and gathered up the tray as quickly as she could. I felt bad for scaring her half to death from the poker.

 _"_ _Oh well so much for first impressions. I wonder if she will be back this morning for breakfast."_

Just as I was about to close my eyes and sleep some more and small knock came from the door. Peering over my left shoulder in came a tall striking woman with wavy golden hair and wearing a ornate light blue gown who seemed to have a bounce to her step.I also noted she had pointy ears too like Legolas had.

 _"_ _Definitely not the girl from yesterday."_ I kept note to myself.

"Good morning Lady Amara I hope you slept well. My name is Lady Celebrian I am Lord Elrond's wife. I thought since you have traveled so far, from what I heard the stars, you might want to freshen up a bit and have a hot bath." her sweet smile matched her bubbly personality and I instantly took a likening to her. I sat up in bed with a resonating ache and pushed back my hair out of my face.

"That sounds very generous of you and frankly sounds amazing." I smiled back.

"I thought so. Every woman deserves to have a good hot bath and be freshly clean...at least that's my philosophy."

She bustled about getting fresh towels, wash cloths and soaps and took them to an joining room that had a tub. She filled it, pulling a lever from a pump and out came steaming hot water.

Pulling the covers back I sat on the edge of the bed and finally had the chance to see what I really looked like since yesterday's excursion. No wonder she knew I needed a bath. I was covered in dirt and caked in mud on from head to foot, scratches here and there and dried up blood on my hoodie. The bandages on my left foot looked expertly wrapped, though I could tell it was still swollen by the skin bulging from the ankle on above. I tried putting pressure on it again, but this time instead of feeling no pain, I did. In fact a lot of pain as a hiss of pain left my mouth.

"Do not worry dear. My husband is going to do his rounds in the healing house soon and he will change out the bandages for you and put on some fresh ones." she called back as she finished filling the tub

"Oh..I'm not worried about bandages..although last night I could walk on it with no pain now I can't even put pressure on it. I don't get it."

"The healers may have put Athelas paste on your foot. It helps with temporary pain relief. However, it only lasts for so long."

Standing with sort of a gimp I managed to hop-along my way to the bathroom.

"Lady Amara I could have helped you." she said with a fuss, shutting the lever off.

"Neh, its alright. Its not that bad."

She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"I see there is a stubborn streak in you. Oh well, I will help you undress and get you into the tub."

I wasn't sure if it was the steam or me, but my cheeks started turning hot. I stared at the woman who I just met and wondered how on earth she could just ask a stranger to undress?!

" _Amara you stupid fuck how many times have you asked your patients to undress for a shower at work? You are a CNA how is this any different?!"_ my thoughts chided at me.

" _Shut up brain!"_

Slowly and carefully she peeled off every item of clothing till I was bare. This lady didn't seem to mind at all. Then again who was to say she was sort of like a CNA too. Gently she took my hand and helped me down to the inviting waters. It was absolutely marvelous! The water was hot enough to ease out any sort of aches and pains and had a mineral smell to it. Hot spring perhaps? She grabbed a wash cloth and began lathering soap into it, filling the room with a calming aroma.

"Is that...lavender?" I asked curiously.

"Yes and lemon grass. I make all the soaps for the healing houses so all the patients can have a comfortable bath and be at ease." she started by moving my hair to one side of my shoulder and washing my back.

"You made them? That's so cool. In my world..or time..I kind of have a similar job. I work in a..I supposed you would call it a healing house, but it's strictly for elderly people who can no longer care for themselves and they live there as well. Oddly I find that I'm the patient this go around."

"Ah, so you are a healer?"

"Eh not quite. I help the healers. I basically provide everyday care from feeding, bathing, grooming and dressing. I work at a small little place, but I really enjoy it."

"Sounds like you have it in the blood," she smiled as she moved to my front which she let me do "no doubt you want to further your studies and be a full fledged healer?"

"Oh yes. I plan on going to college to further a medical career. I just don't know if I want to do nursing or maybe something in a surgery related field. Then again medicines have always fascinated me too."

"I'm sure when the time comes you will know what you want to do."

We moved onto my hair and throughly washed and rinsed it. Finally feeling like a normal human being again the tub was emptied and I got out.

"I haven't been in good hot spring water like that in a long time. Last time I went was last winter a year ago with my friend to our favorite sento." I ran the towel through my hair and ruffled it, next drying my body.

"Sen-to?"

"Oh," I mentally slapped myself "sorry I forgot I'm not in my world...An sento is a bath house in Japan, a land where my friend's family is from."

"We have bathhouses here as well. Maybe once you are better you can visit them." she helped me into a white cotton nightgown and hobble back into bed. No sooner than I had sat down another visitor knocked at the door and was invited in. He was a tall man with long dark brown hair adorned with some sort of circlet of brassy colored vines. He had what I could only figure out to be a golden long waisted shirt, trousers and overcoat with an intricate broach to match at the collar. He looked very regal and his face held a youthful kindness, but his grey steely eyes betrayed his age to be perhaps much older. Again,I couldn't help but notice the pointed ears. They were so odd.

"How fares our new guest this morning? I see my wife has already gotten a hold of you and bathed you up. Now do not get well too quickly or you will find yourself trapped at the seamstress being poked and prodded for a dress." His tenor voice and eyes held mischief as he brought over a chair to the side of the bed and I couldn't help but stifle a laugh. Lady Celebrian threw her husband a playful glare and set about gathering more bandages.

"Now let us see that foot of yours." he seated himself and gently took my foot and propped it in his lap, swiftly taking a small blade out from his boot. The sudden movement made me jerk my foot back and he must of saw my hesitation and stilled his motions.

"It is alright. I am only going to cut the bandages off."

Resting my foot back into place he took the end of the bandage and in one upward swipe I was instantly free, taking the pressure off my swollen ankle. He put the knife back in his boot and discarded the old bandage. I could tell from his expert gaze and fierce concentration he was quite skilled in his profession. He probed his fingers around my foot and ankle, bending it this way and that way, asking me my limits and if there was pain anywhere. He concluded his inspection and began applying a green tacky paste.

"You are fortunate. It is not broken but you have certainly sprained it and pulled a muscle or two. The tendons are inflamed and pulled and need rest. This paste I am putting on will numb the pain and I have prepared a tea that will help with the inflammation and swelling. When you sit or lie down in bed prop up this foot to help reduce the swelling."

I nodded my head in understanding, watching him wrap up my foot.

"No more running into tree roots," he tucked the last bit in "agreed?"

"Yes, agreed."

He arose and washed his hands in a basin of water Celebrian provided and a towel to dry off.

"Now let us see about that shoulder." he returned to me, sitting in the chair once again.

"May I?"

The nightgown fortunately had a wide spacious collar and I could easily dip down one side for him to see while still retaining some modesty. His fingers grazed over the stitches in the front and back.

"There appears to be no infection festering about and the skin is sutured well. Your movements do not seem to be too limited. I say you are doing very well." he moved the collar of my night gown back in place

"Thank you so much. I don't know how to repay you guys…" my voice came out small and nervous.

He held up a hand for me to pause.

"Please think nothing of it. Right now the main thing for you is rest and get better." he got up and returned the chair back to the table. He was going to leave when I stopped him with a question.

"That Legolas guy...he said he had vowed to take care of me or something..no offense he seems alright but must he? He seems very changeable." Inwardly I hoped he would say no.

I heard an audible sigh escape him as he looked back to me.

"Legolas is currently under the weather so to speak at the moment. You may not see him for a day or two. But to answer your question, yes he has vowed to help you. He may seem like a gruff person on the outside, but once you get to know him he is a well rounded fellow." His answer caught me by surprise.

"Oh I didn't know he was sick."

"Do not worry about him. I am sure he will be up on his feet in no time." he curtly left it at that and exited out the door along with his wife. This place was oddly strange. It was almost as if I felt too at ease with my current predicament here. Where as other people would be freaking out if they found out they were on another planet. Maybe I was still in shock.

 _"_ _I have got to stop listening to Coast to Coast AM with George Noory late at night on the radio."_ I internally chastised myself. All I was doing was making myself paranoid.

I laid back on the bed and stared at the delicate designs on the ceiling. If this was my new reality and I was supposed to be here, where did I even begin to look for my parents? Where did I even start?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Slow Life

For three days and three nights it rained. Poured would be more like it. The dreary weather reminded me of Washington and it was making me slightly homesick. I had been put on bed rest with only light maneuvering and so far had seen an array of different healers. I think in the passing days my shock had finally worn off and I had accepted the fact I was in a different world with an entirely different race of people: elves. They were gracefully tall, had an aura of unnatural beauty, all had a common trait of pointed ears and even a language that was like nothing I had ever heard of. I had no way of knowing if I was in a town, city or a ruling kingdom. Were there other humans here or was I the only one? The thought slightly worried me.

From what I could tell this building acted as a hospital. Lord Elrond would come around early in the morning with what I assumed to be his assistants and whoever was assigned to me would take care me throughout the day. I would receive new bandages and treatments to aid along in my healing and served meals as well. Then when the day was at its end Lord Elrond would do one more round before bed just to make sure I was comfortable.

By now it was day four of an overcast of clouds and you guessed it, more rain. Breakfast had long since past and I was left to myself. I had thought about taking a small nap when there was a soft knock at the door. I sat up a little, straightening the front of my night gown to look more presentable and bid whoever it was to come in. A different elf that I had yet to meet strolled in with my missing backpack in tow.

"Good morning Lady Amara my name is Elladan. I am one of Lord Elrond's sons and I came to give this back to you. He would've brought it himself, but alas his duty calls to him this morn and is quite busy. He sends his apologies." The dark haired elf said with a hesitant smile as he handed over my backpack.

I could see it now that he had said it. He had the same features of Lord Elrond only much younger and youthful. His hair was somewhat shorter than his father's, but still had far more length than mine.

"It's alright. I figured that a man with such titles comes great responsibility. Just tell him that I am grateful for you guys finding my backpack. I was beginning to believe I lost it forever in the woods."

I unbuckled the top flap and began undoing the drawstrings when he spoke up again.

"Forgive me, but we have had it for several days," I paused my motions and looked up at him "We meant no harm I assure you, but when you were unconscious we searched your possessions to give us some clue to who you were. It was for our safety and yours."

It kind of irked me that they had went through my things, but I could understand why. I was a private person and did not easily share things. However, considering that I was in a foreign place what choice did I have in the matter of privacy. In their eyes I probably looked like an invader and they reacted the way any nation would.

 _"_ _It could be why that Legolas guy was trying to get the full story out of me. Not just to know me, but interrogate me."_ For once I agreed with my thoughts.

"Its ok. Just as long as everything is in here, right?"

He nodded.

"I promise. Everything that was inspected has been returned."

I returned back to my work of digging out some fresh clothes when he sat down suddenly beside me on the edge of the bed. I snuck a look at him wondering what he was doing now only to find him trying to peek inside my bag.

"Though I am curious about something you have and what purpose they possess. Especially the white rectangular one."

"White rectangular… oh you mean," I dug around my bag and pulled out my iPhone "this?"

"Yes!" His eyes lit up like a child.

"Its called a cellphone. It's a device that enables you to talk to people over long distances without having to send a letter by the pony express. People who have these devices have a number, you call the number and you can talk to the person."

I handed it over to him to inspect. He turned it over and over, looking at every angle.

"And you can talk to people like I am talking to you right now?"

"Yes. Or you if you don't want to talk you can send a text. It's like writing a letter, but it will send it in a matter of seconds."

"Fascinating. There are days where I wish I could have such a luxury as this." He handed my phone back to me.

"It certainly comes in handy."

A silence fell between us as my thoughts drifted to that of Legolas. My supposed guardian had been MIA since the last time we had talked and I was curious of how he was doing. I had felt bad for lying to him, but I was only trying to protect myself. However, if I was going to get anyone to help me the truth had to come out sooner or later.

"Speaking of people, how is Legolas? I heard he was sick. Is it contiguous?"

He let out a deep laugh, but quickly composed himself.

"Forgive me. I do not laugh at you, but merely the thought. It has just been a long time since someone has asked me if elves can get sick. We elves are not susceptible to falling ill to disease as humans are. We are immortal, but we can be slain." he explained carefully

This new information startled me, but it was just new info to tuck away about this world. Though it raised a question, if they couldn't get sick and only be killed then what was wrong with Legolas?

"He has a different problem," he injected probably sensing my confusion "it is not something we elves talk lightly about."

"Would it be ok to visit him?"

He mulled over the thought for a moment, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

"I do not see why that would be a problem. He rarely gets many visitors. Except for Elrohir and I, my father, mother…the healers. That's about it"

The mystery got deeper.

"What about his parents..his family? Do they come to see him?" I voiced my concern

"That is a story for another day." he cut the conversation off and got up.

 _"_ _Touchy. Must be if no one likes to talk about it."_ I mulled over in my mind as I put aside my backpack, abandoning my thoughts for normal clothes.

I threw back the covers and got up out of bed, reaching over, grabbing a dark blue satin robe that was draped on the chair by the desk and slung it on. It was a gift that Lady Celebrian had brung in one morning along with a more thicker grey cardigan made of warm wool that went nearly to my knees. Both were expertly made, but both were a tad oversized for my small frame.

Tucking in left under right of the opening I pulled the ties criss cross around my body and tied it in the front and tucked in the strings. Once I was finished I glanced up at Elladan who was waiting for me only to find him looking at me oddly.

"What?"

He shook his head.

"I have never seen a robe tied like that but I must say it covers all of your nightgown."

Looking down to inspect my work I shrugged my shoulders.

"Force of habit."

He nodded and took my hand wrapping his other arm around for balance. He guided me outside my room for the first time since I had arrived and I gazed around the vast hallway in awe. I hadn't realized how big the building really was till that moment. It's cathedral ceiling angled up into a point and there appeared to be many rooms just by counting the numerous doors. Looking to the left down the hallway there was a pair of large doubled wooden doors carved in designs slightly cracked open and I could see their healers bustling about inside.

"That's the surgery. All the healers are pupils of my father and Lord Glorfindel, one of his advisors." Elladan pulled me out of my fascination.

"So the men and women elves that have been tending to me, besides your father, have been students? That's so cool. What subject does your father teach?" my interest peaked.

"Mostly anatomy, but his skills lie in all the subjects taught here."

He started guiding my hobbly self across the hall.

 _"_ _That's why he's so good. And of course being immortal and all adds to it."_

We walked across the hall from my room and Elladan knocked on a door. Inside I could hear a utterance of their language and Elladan proceed to converse with him until he opened the door. He guided me once again and inside Legolas was relaxing in bed and in my opinion looking worse than last time I had seen him. Now he appeared to have dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn't slept in days and a slightly sunken look. His hair looked dull, sheen less and his skin paler. He was dressed in a dark crimson tunic which he buttoned up quickly till only the nape of his neck was seen.

" _What the hell is wrong with him? It must be serious if his appearance has changed so drastically in 4 days_."

"Good morning Lady Amara. I hear you have been faring well." his deep voice resonating off the walls.

"Please just Amara is fine. There really is no need to call me lady." I sat down in a nearby chair next to his bed "I've been doing good. Though I see you...not so much." I could see his body stiffen slightly from my words.

"There is no need to worry about me..Amara. It is good to see that you are up and about. Poker-less even." he smiled teasing me but even his smile was hard to look at because it looked like it strained his sullen face.

A small smile surrendered on my lips. He seemed to better mood than the other night ago, carefree even.

"Are you sure you're doing ok? Is there anything I can do for you?" I asked genuinely concerned

"I believe those are the words I should be asking you. After all I have sworn to be your guardian and I barely know you except that you are not of this world." Elladan gave Legolas a subtle glare out of the corner of my eye and all of a sudden I felt hesitant. Then again how was I supposed to get anywhere if I never tell him the truth? Over the past couple of days I had been contemplating in my mind of why I was here and the only answer I could find was that perhaps it was meant to be. If Ashley's visions lead me here then obviously there was something here that was pointing me in the right direction to finding my parents.

"You were right..I haven't been honest and I'm sorry, but I swear if I tell you two please don't think I'm crazy because I'm not...I feel like I am but I..I don't know how…" my voice stuttered off.

A cool hand grasped mine and I looked up to find Legolas's hand giving it a small squeeze.

"It is alright Amara. I can only imagine that this is an unexpected and frightening experience for you. I assure you that you can trust Elladan and I with your story." Looking between the both of them I nodded and proceeded with my tale from the beginning of the day I left my world till now and why I was truly here. Needless to say they were both astounded and troubled by my lengthy speech, but both held their questions till the end.

"And you feel certain they are here?" Legolas asked

"I have very high hopes..but not a definite yes. I don't even know where to start looking. Obviously they must be human and not like you guys, but I barely have any clues to who they are. I have no names or where they may be. Or why...they wouldn't want me."

This time was Elladan's turn to pipe up.

"Do not be discouraged. Everything happens for a reason and so far it has brought you here. Perhaps they sent you away to protect you. I could ask my father for help only if you wish it. He knows a few human settlements around here and in Gondor. He could send word to them."

My heart lit up immediately.

"So there are humans here? I was beginning to think I was the only one. Thank you Elladan. It would mean the world to me if you could."

"And I could send word to my father as well. He knows the people of Dale. It is quite far off over the mountains, but it is worth a try." Legolas interjected

"At this point I will be glad for whatever help I can get. As long as it is not too much trouble."

"Do not worry. We will find them. And when we do I will deliver you myself."

—-

 **"Have I ever told you how much of an absolute, without a shadow of a doubt, idiot you are?! Because you are, idiot brother of mine, you are!"** Elrohir sneered as he looked at me with upmost irritation.

 **"** **It just came out Elrohir I didn't mean it!"** I retaliated.

I had just finished telling Elrohir of what Almarea had said this morning and of course he jumped right to conclusions. **"Yes, but what of Legolas halfwit? Last thing we need is bonnie ol'Thranduil to meddle his nose into things especially if he finds out his son has taken our sister as his ward. Not only that now you have put her hope in the wrong place**."

I crossed my arms and plopped down in a chair.

 **"I highly doubt that he even would. Him and his father have not been on the greatest of terms since Thranduil forced him into treatments in order to preserve whatever line he has left. The only letter Thranduil gets is from father to let him know he is still alive…for now."**

 **"At this going rate it may be cut off soon by the way Legolas looks. I have never seen an elf in such poor health. It is cruel to let him suffer like this. He is better of sailing to the Undying Lands or..leave this life."** His morbid thoughts voiced themselves.

I looked at Elrohir mortified. **"Do not say that! He has as much right to live like anyone else. He is our friend and friends do not let friends make suicidal decisions by themselves. He needs us Elrohir!** "

He sighed deeply.

 **"Forgive me that was not my intentions. I just hate seeing him suffer like this."**

 **"I know Elrohir."**

Right then our father finally entered his study where we had been waiting for him to return. When he saw us he looked us over between one another, his face slowly contorting to furrowed brows and pursed lips as he closed the door slowly with a click.

 **"What happened now?"** he asked carefully

 **"Nothing"** my brother and I said in unison.

He crossed his study, robes flowing behind him, his eyes never leaving us until he reached his chair behind his desk.

 **"** **Well, if it is nothing perhaps you two can be useful and deliver a letter for me?"** he sat down and got out a fresh parchment. Elrohir glared at me. I could practically read his mind and I knew he was wanting me to own up to my slip.

 **"** **No Elrohir. If I say nothing, nothing will happen."**

 **"** **What happens when she starts questioning you or father? What then you pea brained moron!"**

 **"** **Nothing. Will. Happen!"** I said through clenched teeth.

 **"** **For Eru's sake enough! Now that I know something going on would you two care to explain?"** Our father's voice cut between us.

Looking at each other we answered simultaneously about what I had mentioned to Almarea and the suggested letters to the human settlements.

 **"Ah, well. At least now I know so I can play along. Actually it may buy us time. She will not be tempted to leave because she will waiting for news. Although I am writing an urgent message to Gandalf to come at once. We need him in order to break the spell Almarea has upon her that makes her appear human. The last known location I have of him is Gondor and hopefully he is still there. Once we receive word we can tell Almarea that he is coming and go from there. Till then if you two are intelligent enough to keep your big mouths shut I suggest you say nothing. Are we clear?"** He put the finishing touches to his letter, folded and sealed it.

Elrohir and I swore silence to the matter and father handed us the letter.

 **"Take this to Thorontur and tell him it is confidential and needs to get to Gandalf as soon as possible."**

Elrohir took the letter from our father and we headed out the door to the stables where Thorontur, the messenger, would be.

Thorontur was an elf that liked to keep his horse in tip top shape always cleaning him, giving him the freshest of food and the newest horseshoes. Some said vanity was in his horse and not Thorontur himself as he cared little of what he looked like. Where we elves liked to keep our appearance neat and clean, Thorontur would be the grungiest elf you would ever meet and some say he lived in the horse stables. Even though his appearance was not something to think about, when duty called, he was the elf to get the job done and in the swiftest of time. My brother and I reached the stables where we found him, shoeing his horse Limdur, in deep concentration.

 **"Thorontur."** I called and he looked over at us, his blonde hair had several hay strains poking out and his white tunic stained in what we hoped was mud.

 **"Aye hello Lord Elladan. What can I do for ye?"**

He smiled and threw down his tools.

 **"Our father has a letter to go out to Gondor to Gandalf. It can only go to him and it must go in haste."**

He wiped his hands on his pants and took the letter from Elrohir with care.

 **"Aye..small letter. Small letter means big words. Aye I will see it gets to Gandalf. I will leave this evening and go to the Misty Mountains I know an elf that can get this to Gondor a lot faster than I can. I can get there in a couple days time."**

This surprised Elrohir and I as we thought no one could deliver a message faster than him.

 ** _"_** ** _Except that phone device Almarea had. Now that would be very useful."_** I thought to myself.

 **"Who is this elf Thorontur?"** my brother asked

 **"He lives in the mountains and sometimes I stop at his house along my travels. He hunts with falcons and he can even send messages with them. His falcons are fast and they would get to Gondor in a couple of weeks and not 3 months like me."**

My brother and I agreed that should be the plan and everything else was set in motion. We paid him for his travels and headed our way back to the house. All we could hope for was that Gandalf would get here soon.

—

" ** _How long has it been since I've wrote to my father? Five…Six months?"_**

I couldn't even remember. Our current relationship was presently strained and we had not left on good terms. With quill in hand I stared at the blank parchment not exactly sure what to write.

 ** _"_** ** _Dear father I've seemed to have shot a mortal woman from another world and now have vowed wardship over her oh and I am going to help her find her parents and return her to her family. Sure Legolas that will fly over well."_** the bitterness of my thoughts plagued me.

It had looked like once again I had signed up for something that I wasn't exactly sure I was going to live up to, quite literally. And once again I didn't think it through before I opened my mouth. Maybe I should've heeded Lord Elrond's advice and stayed out of the affairs regarding the woman. What could I possibly do? My mind couldn't help but drift to the last time I disregarding his words for my own selfish gain.

 ** _(_** _I stood alone in Lord Elrond's study, the eerie silence made the wait all the more nerve racking. The crisp October air drifted in the room and the smell of musty leaves sang the beginning of autumn. I liked autumn, it was my favorite season. The earth grew colder and the changing colors of the trees made the forests look like a painting. Strange how something so beautiful was actually the color of decay._

 _Behind me I heard hurried footsteps, Lord Elrond no doubt, and a striking bang upon the doors of his study as he entered in a fury. He rounded me, looking me square in the eye, searching the depths of my soul for what sanity I had left. I wasn't prepared for the sudden fire across my cheek as he struck me._

 ** _"_** ** _What have you done?! What madness has drove you to volunteer to this quest?!"_** _His voice hissed at me._

 ** _"_** ** _It was my own choice. I am willing to go to Mordor and protect Frodo so that the Ring can be destroyed."_** _I retaliated, ignoring the pain that flared on my face._

 _He whirled away from me, his hands scaling through his hair, ripping off his circlet and throwing it across the room in frustration. It skidded across the floor, the metal clanging along the way till it rested by the bookshelf. Funny how it was that a simple piece of adornment could signify strength and power, but was useless to the wearer if one could not use it._

 ** _"_** ** _Do you have any idea what you have done? Did you not think of the consequences? What will your father say when he learns his only son and heir is going on a journey that may potentially kill him? Hmm? If you die it will be the end of his line!"_**

 _I had barely thought it through. When the time came for people to come forth in aide I saw it as my opportunity to escape my home. Whether I was successful or not was of little importance to me. I had grown weary of my life, my mundane life. There was nothing for me in Mirkwood. I lived behind stoned walls, away from the world and the creeping nightmare that resided there. It hung on me day and night like a pestilence that refused to leave, blanketing my fea in darkness. I couldn't do it anymore._

 _Turning back to me Lord Elrond studied me with new vigor and determination._

 ** _"_** ** _Withdraw your aide to Frodo."_**

 _My brows drew in, in confusion._

 ** _"_** ** _I will not."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Withdraw."_** _he stated more firmly_

 ** _"_** ** _I will not."_**

 ** _"_** ** _Legolas withdraw!"_**

 _My nose flared and my blood began to boil. There was no way he was going to deny me this chance. This relief. I had waited too long for it._

 ** _"_** ** _You forget your place Lord Elrond! I am the Crown Prince of the Woodland throne and I will see the fires of Mordor just as my grandfather did and aide Frodo…till my dying breath! You do not ask Aragorn or Boromir to withdraw who are heirs by their own right! So by all means write to my father! Tell him of my plans! It matters not to me anymore what he thinks…and I believe his has stopped caring long ago what exactly is best for me!"_** _My voiced was like a double edged sword, striking down._

 _His rigidness melted from his frame and his eyes grew wide._

 ** _"_** ** _Legolas…that is…you can not leave like this. He has lost his father and your mother. He can not loose you as well."_** _His words breathed out._

 ** _"_** ** _My oath is my own,"_** _I repeated myself with finality._ ** _"Frodo will have my protection. But I can not guarantee I will live. I have already ordered my escorts back to Mirkwood without me. My father will know one way or another that I am not coming back."_** _)_

Pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration I tried concentrating back towards my letter. No matter what I put down it would depend entirely if he would help or not. The only personal dealings with mortals he had was purely for political gain. Although, since he had trade agreements with the King of Dale, and in good standing, I didn't see why he couldn't pass it along.

I ended up making it simple, leaving out the fact that she was from another world, and stated that there was a woman with unknown origins and was searching for family. No need to get into deeper details until I had heard word from my father if he was going to help or not.

I set the letter off to the side to be sent off in the morning, evening had crept up on me again like veil. I leaned back, weary in my chair and closed my eyes, my body ached in last episode had been the longest I had been down since I had first started having these attacks, but I was starting to come around again. The mere thought of it sent phantom constricting chest pains all through my body. How long was it going to be till the pain was too much? How long did I have till I could finally be relieved of this life and find peace?

As I sat there in my room a soft noise played on my ear. The Hall of Fire perhaps? No, they didn't have any festivities scheduled for this evening. I _was_ hearing music, right? I got up and went to my door and opened it, poking my head out to see if I could figure out the source. It came from not down the hall leading to the outside to the main buildings, but from across the hall from Amara's room. Listening more closely I could distinctly tell it was not a woman's voice at all.

" ** _Either you have finally lost your mind or there is someone in there with her."_**

—-

 _~Where did you come from Eliza? Eliza where did you come from and where did you go? Been wondering lonesome Eliza? And out of that darkness you lead me back home...~_

Thank God my iPod survived and surprisingly on full charge. I could've swore it had a half battery when I left though I may have been wrong. I had come out to my balcony to bask the cool spring night air and I was going to enjoy it with my faithful music. Music always helped me think. No matter what kind of music it's words somehow whispered wisdom and sometimes answered questions to life's biggest problems. Or sometimes asked more questions. Where was I in this vast universe? How did I truly get here? Was I really...home? It didn't feel like home. The stars were so bright and the sky so clear not only did you see the stars, but the floating blankets of gassy nebulas in their vast spectrums of color. Back home all you saw were barley any stars and mostly darkness. You had billions of city lights around the world to thank for that, but here it was like something out of a dream.

I propped up my feet on the railing crossing my bad foot on top of the other. I had long since seen Lord Elrond on his last visit for the night and decided to dress in some fresh clean blue jean leggings, my dark green t-shirt, and a plush grey heavy long sleeved cardigan. It's thick material helped fight the chilly bite on the wind. The last couple of days had been madding without my music, but I knew I had to preserve battery life in it. Tonight though, I thought I could spare a little.

 _~Have you ever felt lost and alone even in your own skin? Feels like I lost a friend...~_

I did feel lost and alone like I was on some deserted island. Studying the stars I could only make out a few that I recognized. The big dipper, Orion, Sagittarius, maybe a few others, but they seemed out of place. Others looked liked they matched up but didn't look right. My mind wondered to my friends. Were they worried about me? Did they think I was ok? I missed them so much.

Suddenly, a blonde head appeared in my field of vision blocking out the sky and I let out a yelp and scrambled to my feet, throwing back my headphones onto my shoulders. It was Legolas staring at me, more at my headphones, and the purest look of confusion on his face. He was dressed in bed clothes from what I could tell. He was wearing dark loose pants and a white button up long sleeve shirt and his hair was down in a low ponytail.

"Uh...hey Legolas. Sorry I didn't hear you come in. I had my headphones on and was listening to some music." I smiled apologetically, my chest heaving from the panic attack.

"No need to apologize, I should. I came in rather unannounced. My hearing has diminished as of late but I swore I heard music that I never heard before and was trying to find the source and it is you and your head phones as you say." His face lit up like a Christmas tree as though he found a new toy.

"Wait..you heard my music all the way from your room? That's impossible." I gaped at him.

" _Just exactly how good is his hearing? Does he hear me talk in my sleep?"_ I thought mortified.

"Only barely. If my hearing was better no doubt I could hear it as clearly as you do as if I were the one with that contraption on. Elves have superior hearing than humans and can hear for miles. How does it work, your little device and head phones?"

Sliding the headphones off my shoulders I held it out for him to see along with my iPod.

"It's hard to explain really. I have music that I like saved on this device and the headphones connected to it allow me to hear it through them. Here watch." I scrolled through my playlists searching for some good music or at least something that wasn't overpowering and maybe on the conservative side.

 _"_ _Hard rock? No way. Something new? Yea right. I know bollywood! Why don't you try to keep it in a language he understands idiot. Ok ok I know classical. Hmm nice choice."_

I pulled up the Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven and pushed play turning up the volume so he wouldn't have to put the headphones on to hear it. The sound vibrated out of them and I could tell he could hear it perfectly as he stood there his eyes slowly closing, listening in his own world.

"It is exquisite. The pianist has deep feelings for their music. A hunger for something. The keys are played in such that they pierce the silence." his voice spoke from his heart.

He was a music lover I could tell.

"You're right. It was to hear. This music was composed by a deaf man. They say he sawed off the legs of his piano so he could hear his music when he put his ear to the floor and banged on the keys. He dealt with deafness most of his life."

His eyes opened in surprise

"A deaf man composed music? How extraordinary." he said breathlessly.

I let the music continue as we stood in silence. I couldn't help it but think on his well-being. Elladan has said his health was bad and even Legolas admitted it too. I wanted to ask him what was truly wrong but I felt as though I would be intruding on something taboo. To look at him now I could see a glimpse of his true self from the moonlit night. His gold hair shone brightly and his pale skin giving off a luminous glow. He was beautiful ,but his aura was quickly extinguished by the overhang of dark clouds. There was definitely more to him than what meets the eye. As the music stopped I shut off my iPod to save power.

"Thank you for sharing that with me." his voice was sincere.

"I'm glad you liked it." I smiled softly

He made turn to leave then stopped midway and looked back to me.

"I am sending wording to my father in the morning. Hopefully we shall hear a response soon in regards to your parents."

My heart speed up in excitement at his words.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me. You didn't have to do this."

"I can only imagine how you feel. Growing up with parents not your own. Every child should have a loving home with parents who cherish them." He came back to me, taking both my hands in his, bringing them to his chest by his heart. The sudden gesture caught me off guard and him too from his slight hesitation.

"You…you do not know because you are human kind, but when an elf vows a promise they can not break it and I do not intend to for one second. You deserve to know where your parents are whether they are in this life or in the next, but I vow to you right now I will find them even it takes my last breath."

He then took my hands and kissed them, making me blush all kinds of fifty shades of red. Especially when he gazed deep at me with those dark blue eyes.

His lips are so soft. One could only imagine..

 _"_ _Oh my God shut up hormones! He is not even that cute! Or the same species! Fucking Spock elf alien!"_

"I will leave you now so that you can rest. Have a pleasant night and I will see you tomorrow."

He let go of my hands, went back inside and exited my room.

 _"_ _Pleasant night indeed._

I let out a shaky breath. There was no need of me getting distracted by some sort of hormonal romance. Or just distracted in general. My fingers rubbed the palms of my hands as they felt tingly and numb, something I found odd, yet familiar. Unless..

" _No. Please…not again."_

My hands started shaking in fear. If I could just keep it in check I would be fine.

 _—_

Laying back in the soft sheets of my bed I thought back on my words to Amara. I did not want her to go through what I did and suffer the same way I was right now. Crippling with deteriorating health, no one to talk to and no family. She was an innocent girl and I hated the thought of her with..no I could not even say it. Then again this night's events were very strange.

My hand snaked inside my shirt and rubbed the place where my heart was. I could feel the pain now, but that one moment when I held her hands against me I felt nothing. No pain, no strain to beat, no darkness. It made me wonder what exactly happened in that moment and what power did his girl truly possess. Surely she must've felt it too.

Closing my eyes I tried to go to sleep so I could get some peace his night.

**song was Eliza by Mipso**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Polaroid

"I only want you walking in increments and not over exerting yourself. I do not want you injuring it again, understand?" Lord Elrond told me again for the fifth time already as he took out the last couple of stitches.

"Yes, yes, I promise. No cartwheeling down the hallway auditioning for the circus I know." I was ready to get out of this room I was starting to go stir crazy. Legolas had finally gotten over his sick spell and promised to take me out to view Rivendell in all its beauty and glory while I had plans to photograph the shit out of this place.

"Well, whatever a "circus" is, if it involves cartwheels then please, no. I want you to take it easy." he finished up and inspected his work, running a soothing finger along the incision sight. "Very good. I do not think it will leave a too noticeable scar." I straightened up the collar of my nightgown and wrapped my plush grey cardigan around me.

My first week here was coming to an end and I had finally been released from their care and no longer had to have daily bandages for my ankle. Just a simple wrap to help with support. My arrow wound had healed up nicely and my foot was no longer black and blue from the bruises. But in the back of my mind there was something I was far more eager about than my own health.

"Has there..has there been any messages?" I asked nervously.

He had returned to the basin to wash his hands on the table and now drying them with a towel. From his obvious rigid posture, wrinkled brows and hesitation I could only expect disappointing news.

"Not yet little one. Our messages do not travel so quickly as they do in your world. Elladan has told me of this phone you have and its wonders, but unfortunately you would be looking at several weeks or even a month or two before we get a reply. So you must be patient." he said in a fatherly tone.

I nodded in acknowledgement.

"I know. I'm just eager for a reply. I've been trying to keep myself occupied till then. Hopefully getting out of this room will help some. It will give me something to do and take my mind off things. There is a lot of beautiful scenery here and I would love some pictures." I nearly jumped up and down at the prospects. He turned to me and his eyebrows peaked in interest.

"Do you paint?"

"Me? Oh God, no, I can't even draw a straight line if I tried. I take pictures with a camera." I reached down over the side of the bed and rummaged around in my backpack till found my black polaroid instax camera. I sat back up and turned towards him holding the camera up to my face.

"Smile."

I clicked the button and my camera whirred, pushing out a small picture about the size of an index card.

The look on his face was priceless as he looked both shocked and intrigued at the same time. I took the picture and waved it in my hand a little to hurry up the development so I could show him. Soon enough the colors started bleeding through and turned into a miniature portrait. I smiled down at my candid work and handed it over to him.

"Take a look."

He carefully took it as though it was made of glass that would break and studied the photograph with deep concentration. His face showed many emotions from awe to disbelief, but in the end he smiled at the picture.

"Your world is full of surprises especially to harness the power to capture time in paper. I must say I am very impressed." his voice full of wonder.

"Thanks. Its nothing big really. I'll have to start another photo journal for this world. I feel as though I'm going to have a lot to write about." he gave me the photo back and laid a comforting gentle hand on my shoulder

"I have no doubt that you will. There is a lot for you to learn here and much more. Always know you are welcome in this place no matter where you are from or where you may go."

I felt little pin pricks in my eyes and soon tears started welling up involuntarily.

 _"_ _Welcome. I'm welcome here. Its been so long since I have felt welcome."_

I had been dragged from foster home to foster home all my life till I got sick of it and started running away. Strange things would always happen around me, that's why no one would never let me stay long. I would learn to trust and love a family then I would be thrown back into the system again and again. In the end I learned how to grow numb to feelings of acceptance. I didn't know how the strange things happened. They just did and I couldn't control them. Sometimes something would break when I was mad or fly off a wall when I was scared. There was times I wondered if I was possessed or had some dark force following me. The only time I had felt at home was when I used to live with Ashley in secret for over a year. Till Sheriff McCullough found me.

No, there was no use of crying over it. There was no use of looking back at the past that was so full of pain and sorrow. That was then.

"Amara? Are you alright?"

Lord Elrond's voice drug me out of my depressing thoughts and I pushed back the tears and the hurt. I refocused myself on him and gave a weak smile.

"Yea, I'm fine."

"You seem troubled. Was it something I said?" his voice held concern.

"No…"

He came over and sat beside me on the bed.

"Does it have to with your home?"

My mouth pursed together in trying to keep some self control on itself.

"Kind of."

"I can not even comprehend what you must feel. Or what it is like in your shoes. Your family and friends must be terrified and worried. If I knew how to send them a message I would to ensure them you were safe here."

My heart swelled at his thoughtful words.

"Thank you," I swallowed down my pain "You have been so generous with me being an unexpected guest and all. An extra person to care for and a extra mouth to feed. I hope in time there is something I can do to repay you."

"Well, as long as you are here and come to learn more of this place and its history, you will know that I have had many unexpected guests before. None have been turned away. To the elves this place has another name: the Last Homely House. And has been such for many years. So do not worry."

A knock at the door interrupted us and Legolas made his appearance. Seeing as I was still not yet dressed he cracked the door partly shut.

"Sorry. I came to see if Lady Amara was ready. I will come back shortly." His voice flowed in.

"Very well," he arose and made his way to the door, " Seems as though your guardian is here. I will leave you to get ready. And remember", he turned back "take it easy."

I nodded in understanding as he left me to dress.

—

Lord Elrond shut her door softly and turned to me. Something in his features betrayed a dislike at my sudden arrival at Amara's chambers, as though he did not want me there. However, as soon as I saw these emotions he returned, once again to the Master of the House, and all seriousness was put back upon him.

" **Do not go too far with her today and watch her closely. If she begins to tire let her rest. She is healing nicely, but I don't want her strained. Same goes for you as well."** He stated as a matter of factly.

My body involuntary stiffened at the mention of me, my jaw clenching and the hands that I had clasped behind my back dug into one another.

"I **'ll be fine."** I gritted.

His eyes glared at me, but we both knew well it was no use talking about it. It would just lead to an argument in the hallway.

" **Never the less please use some wise judgement. For her sake if not for mine."** He sighed deeply in frustration. " **Now where do plan to take her?"** His change in subject was just him getting in the last word and meaning it was final.

 **"** **Around the premises. Maybe a little into town."**

He nodded in approval.

 **"** **Try talking to her. Keep her mind off of the messages that she is waiting on. She seems to have some anxiety over this and there is no need for her to be stressed out about it. Get her to open up and be at ease."**

I understood his viewpoint, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was wanting something.

" **Do you want me to interrogate her?"** I asked not bothering to beat around the bush.

 **"** **No Legolas. You do not understand. She is important. More important than you realize."** His eyes flashed and sharp cut words stabbed into our seemingly innocent conversation catching me slightly off guard. His silver robes swirled away as he made his way to the surgery, his stride rigid.

" **Just keep her occupied Legolas."** His voice rang out.

—

My footsteps fell silently on the forest floor leaving no trace of my tracks. The cool spring wind glided through the trees making them rustle in song. I had been curious of how she returned to our world when I knew there had to be some sort of magic or force involved. Even I did not know how I ended up in her world and manage to return. I had retraced the path that Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas had came from on their hunting journey, to where they said they first saw her. The blood that had dripped from her wound had long since faded away from the forest floor and was barely any trace of it now. However, the footprints were still left. In one area it was visible that there was four sets of footprints. Three that were obviously male then a smaller set running away from the others, female. I followed her smaller set before she had come into contact of the three and it lead further into the woods.

My memories drifted back to that fateful night. It was all I could do to take her, but it was Lord Elrond's order because he could not do it himself. I have never seen a ellon so broken, but then again he had lost a lot of family in his lifetime. The world was such a dangerous place then and the Ring threatened the lives of all. Even the lives for the future.

 ** _("Take her Glorfindel...I..I can not do it. Besides if something were to happen to Rivendell I do not want Sauron torturing us for information. He must not know where she is or what she possesses."_** _his voice was urgent in the onslaught of rain as I held his daughter tight and close in my arms. I was currently ready to leave at a moments notice and my horse eager to run, but this sudden assignment was not something I was expecting. She was barely a year old, but somehow her fate had been tied to the Ring and the last thing Lord Elrond wanted was to loose a child to this accursed evil._

 ** _"Where do I take her? Anyone will take one look at her and see she is elfkind. She will stick out like a weed in a garden."_** _I protested._

 ** _"Gandalf has put a spell on her. She will not show her true self until the spell is released by him. As of now..she is human."_**

 _The small babe squirmed in my arms and let out a small wail._

 ** _"Take her now..please. May the Valar guide you to where ever she will go."_** _I was not sure if it was tears or the rain that ran freely from my old friend's face as he backed out of the courtyard and to the Homely House. Though, I could see it tore him down to his fea to be parted from her.)_

He never said goodbye that night and it made me wonder if deep down he knew she would return. I came to a small clearing and from my memories I could tell it looked rather familiar. Her tracks had stopped abruptly and just vanished without a trace as though she simply just appeared here. There were no signs of magic doing anywhere, but the air was laced with sense of energy and it hummed deep within the earth. Looking around I found a subtle disturbance in the soil where she had once laid. Crouching down I ran my fingers through the matted debris searching for some clue. The energy felt different in what I could sense in the earth, a different pull in its force that felt strange and not of this world.

 ** _"_** ** _Perhaps there is a connection from our world to hers. Most likely how I got there the first time and came back that night."_** My thoughts wondered.

I stood up letting the soil fall freely from my fingers. Whatever this force was it did not appear to be active and was resting in a slumbered state. I made my way back down the path I had came following the footprints from after her encounter and soon made it to the river. I crossed the river with expert ease and followed the small tracks through the woods. That was when I started to notice a change. Where she had ran, her strides had become farther and farther apart as though she moved in some unnatural speed. I followed faster and faster through the changes in her tracks till I came upon a fallen tree truck. It was a large oak and its truck was broad and thick, clearly very old and nearly as tall as me. Once again her tracks disappeared.

" ** _Surely she did not jump this. It would be impossible."_**

Crouching to the ground once more I ran my hands into the soil and closed my eyes concentrating on the fëa of the earth with my own.

 ** _"_** ** _Show me your memories. Show me what happened here."_** My thoughts chanted in incantation.

Like a rushing river it surged through my fingertips and through my body and the memories of the earth flooded my mind's eye. Just like it was my own memory, I saw her racing through the forest like the fires of hell were behind her and my suspicions were right when I thought she had ran at an unnatural speed. Never had I seen someone move so fast in so little time and before I knew it she approached the fallen tree and jumped over like a deer.

My eyes flashed open and I separated myself from the earth drawing my hands back. No human or elf could jump it, it was impossible I knew, but I had seen it. Quickly I made my way around the fallen tree only to discover that on the the other side it descended down into an entanglement of buried roots that laid open like a trap. Some were broken, clearly from a great force.

 ** _"_** ** _And that is how she injured her ankle"_** I though wary to myself. ****

There was no doubt about it, it was awake and alive in her. The question was did she know about her own power or was she just now discovering it?

—

Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr.

I was currently having the time of my life. Legolas and I had set out to explore Rivendell all afternoon and its beauty was unparalleled to anything I had seen before in my travels. At home I had went to countless countries with my friends and had photographed the world away, going to places only people dreamed of. Here, I was on an entirely new planet that no one had ever seen before and so far I had seen gardens, statues, murals, people, the ornate architecture, and list went on and I was soaking it up.

Its people, I had noted from day one, seemed to play in equal roles. It did not matter what job they played as it appeared both male or female could do either one. From healers, teachers, merchants or soldiers these elves were ahead of my time where there was more unequal gender roles.

From what I could piece together they were also somewhat of a pagan society believing in gods and goddesses in a term that they called the Valar. In ways this made sense to me, giving what I could guess would be an early medieval time period that I was in, and that they were of an alien race I had never encountered. I was open to any beliefs, but I had my doubts that these higher entities truly existed, though I played along to their ideas to be respectful.

I had photographed many of them in town who were about their daily business, without their knowing, however I did have some mothers who shooed their children away from me. No doubt I had brought a stir to their once quiet lives. Others looked at me in the same strange awe that I did to them. To them I was the alien and they were wary of me.

Legolas had been as equally amazed as Lord Elrond was with my polaroid camera. The first time I used it around him it nearly gave the poor elf a stroke, but once he saw the outcome of my "time stopper", as he called it, he wanted to take more pictures as well. He had been in every sense a tour guide since we had left my room, explaining anything I had questions on or didn't understand. Right now we were currently sitting on the ledge near a rushing waterfall next to a giant fountain that looked like a woman pouring water out of her bowl into smaller basins. The spray from the cold water tickled my face as I took another photo of breath taking view before me.

"You are getting quite a collection I must say."

He looked through our stack of growing photos.

"You should see my room in my world. I have way more than that."

In the subject of my world it had peaked his interest and he put aside the polaroids. Being extra careful not to damage them.

"What is your home like? I have heard little about it." he inquired curiously.

Home was something I rarely talked about. Not because I didn't like my world just that I didn't like the home I lived in. So I decided to tread lightly. Besides as far as I knew I had no idea if I could even go back if I wanted to.

"Well, I live by the ocean in Washington state in the small city of Cedar Coast. It constantly rains there, but I love the way it makes the forests swim through a sea of fog. Some of the scenery here reminds me of it." my voice drifted off as I watched the water fall down the slopes, I angled my camera for another shot.

"The ocean? It must be beautiful," he said somberly "What of the family you live with? Surely they must be worried about you?"

My camera whirred again as I clicked for another photo, its small paper poking out in the end progress.

His question snapped me out of my dreamlike state and made me internally shudder.

"I highly doubt it. Though Sheriff McCullough will probably be pissed that I'm gone. He probably has half the state looking for me by now." I waved the small picture a little more aggressive than I meant to as I spat out his name like it was poison.

"Why would he be mad and looking for you, but you say he would not be worried about you?" he asked quizzically

"He…is not a nice man. He has a reputation that is not all entirely free of sin. Let's leave it at that." The photo finally started bleeding through and the waterfall graced its' presence. "Besides I don't really want to go home. I'm here for one purpose and I intend on finding my answer here. I have made my peace that something has brought me here for a reason. That only reason is to find my parents."

"I intend to help you in any way I can. But know this Amara you never have to be afraid to tell me anything. Even if it is something you fear." He laid a gentle hand on my arm, though out of instinct I jerked back out of his reach. I didn't mean to, but how was I supposed to readily trust this elf blindly. His intentions were understandable and good, but I didn't know him from Adam. I could feel my nervousness and anxiety creep up on me again as I looked him square in the eye.

"What about you? If we are going to play 20 questions I should at least know something about you. No one gets a free ride simply because they are my guardian or whatever you are. I've had too many fuck ups in my life and I don't want another one. Not here. Not now." I said brazenly not caring if I was too bold and explicative.

My sudden change caught him off guard, but he didn't let it faze him.

"You are right and I understand. We have had barely any time together since you first came here and I was under the weather. So therefore you barely know me. I am practically a stranger. I come from the Woodland realm which is over the mountains east of here. My father resides there, however my mother died a long time ago when a was just a child and I am their only child. I have lived here in Rivendell for the past year. So believe me when I tell you I know what it is like to live without a parent. It is hard."

"Why do you live here and not with your father then?" I asked, my emotions softened now in mention of his mother's death.

He looked away so I couldn't read his face, but I could tell he wasn't comfortable.

"I have been receiving treatments over the past year for a..heart condition…that I have. It was not my choice, but my father's that I come here." He said on a tight jaw.

Now it was my turn to be confused. By his tone and gestures it was almost as if he didn't want the treatments. I suddenly felt like an asshole for being too harsh with him, but from his statement it looked like his father and him were not on good terms.

"Why is he forcing you to do something you don't want to do? Don't take it the wrong way, but everyone has the right to live or die if they have a medical condition they know will not resolve itself. Some people choose to end their life medically because they do not want their loved ones to worry anymore or ease the suffering. You have the right to live how you want."

He turned back to me and a small smile turned on his lips.

"At least you see it my way. I just wish I had that option," he stood up dusting off his clothes "however when you are the only son and heir to the throne of the Woodland realm it is rather hard to say no to a king. Who knows though. I may yet still die even with these treatments."

Blink. Blink.

 _"_ _Did...I just hear him right...did he just say he is a fucking Prince of the goddamn elves?!"_

 _—_

 _"_ _What do I even call him? His royal elfiness?"_

 _"_ _How would you know you've never met royalty before."_

 _"_ _Shut up brain!"_

I was currently struggling to get to sleep this night, but my mind was still reeling at the fact Legolas was a prince. A prince! Like what the actual fuck?!

 _"_ _Oh, hi sorry I shot you and whatnot, but I'm going to protect you and all that shit and going to help you find your parents because I'm a prince and I have nothing better to do with my fucking time."_

I sat up in bed and ran my hand through my messy hair. I needed air to clear my head this was simply just too much. Throwing off the covers I got up and grabbed my fluffy cardigan wrapping up in its warmth, not bothering to change into clothes, I slipped out of my room in just my nightgown. Wrapped up tightly I ventured down the hallway leading to the entrance of the building. The brisk night air blew at my legs making my gown stick to them as they shivered. All was quiet in Rivendell and the only lights that shown were on the walkways around the city. Looking to the right there was a niche in the wall to the beginnings of a stairwell where the entrance of the healing house was.

 _"_ _A second floor?'_

With curiosity getting the better of me I decided to climb it.

 _"_ _Don't mind me just being a nosy little shit."_

Around and around in a spiral it went, going higher with small windows you saw every so often to see outside. I was nearing what had to be at least the third floor when I finally came to a landing and there was a door only it was locked. Looking to my left down a long narrow hallway there was another door at the other end. Was this some sort of tower room or a lookout point? I decided to go down the hallway to see if there was another hallway and there was. The second door was also locked.

 _"_ _It must circle around the whole building."_

Venturing my way around I made it to the third doored corner and found that it was open and I decided to go in. Inside was a circular room. The floor was of natural wood and the trimmings of the room were painted gold. The walls were a dark robin's egg blue along with gold designs that swirled to the center of the pointed ceiling. There was no furniture in the room save the cut out portion of a bay window where the view outside was definitely an eye opener. Approaching the pane glass window a stunning view lay down before me clearly seeing the crevice of the valley with the river running on for miles like a stray silver thread. A shaky breath left my lungs as I was totally wonderstruck.

"I see you have found this place." a tenor voice spoke behind me making me jump and whip my head around. It was Legolas at the doorway still dressed in the clothes from earlier today. His face was devoid of emotion and looked rather forlorn to me.

"Oh..I'm sorry." I had no idea if I was in someplace I wasn't supposed to be.

"Please, you do not have to apologize."

A deafening silence stood between us like a brick wall. There was so many questions I wanted to ask, but didn't even know how to go about asking them. All I could see was this elf that was no common person. He was a prince, a prince that had taken me as his ward when he didn't even know me. He had offered his life in service to me, to protect me, to see that I was cared for while he was yet a ward himself to Lord Elrond. All I had done was be an asshole to him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry in your life. Or go totally stone blank when you said you were a prince. But..why? Why did you vow to Lord Elrond that you would protect me? Why to some nobody like me?" I was truly in disbelief. It had been a long time since anyone cared for me let alone a prince.

"You are not no one. You are someone's daughter. You are somebody. I vowed to Lord Elrond that I would care for you because I see some of myself in you. Or at least the me I should be. You strive to know your true parents to know what happened to them. I wish I would have done the same for different reasons, but my outcome was very different." he came closer, standing next to me and peered out the window.

"But..you are a prince. You must have duties stacked up on your shoulders than having to deal with me."

"Prince?," he sneered "It is just a word in front of my name. Right now it means little to nothing to me."

"Then what about your father and the kingdom he rules? Doesn't he need a son and heir and all that?"

"I have no desire to rule his kingdom. I love my people and my home, but as of late it does not seem like home. More like a prison."

A prison? How ironic that he uses the same word I do for my home.

Not wanting to get in the middle of something and pry further into something I had no knowledge of I decided to change the subject.

"So what brought you up here tonight?"

He looked down at me, seemingly studying my face.

"Actually my thoughts were of you and where to find your parents. Wondering if perhaps we will have any luck from the human settlements."

"You and me both. I only have tiny fragments of my parents that even I don't know what it all means." I sighed

"What do you mean by fragments?" His forlorn face changed to curiosity.

Pulling my hair out of the way the champagne rose chain of my necklace glittered in the moonlight. I untucked it out of my nightgown and showed him silver jewel that I had had all my life. It was my past, present and my future and my most prized possession.

"This and a scrap of paper is all I have of them. It was left with me when I was brought to the orphanage."

Legolas's eyes got wide and touched the stone delicately then running his fingers up to inspecting the chain.

"I know this metal. My friend Gimli, a dwarf, took me to the Glittering Caves after the war and I saw enormous amounts of this that were ran like veins inside the mountains. Light as a feather and hard as dragon scales; mithril." he said breathlessly

"Now there are dwarves?" I couldn't help but crack a grin at his words. Just how races were there on this earth? Waving away my burst of thought I proceeded on. "Are you sure?! Are you _sure_ this is meth..mith..oh whatever you said?!" my heart began to race of this new information.

"I am positive though the color is slightly off with a pinkish hue. Mithril is very expensive and highly sought after. I once knew a hobbit that had a mithril chainmail shirt that was worth more than place he lived. For you to have this is a rare sight indeed. It may be mithril with an copper makeup, but I may need to consult Gimli and see. The chain itself looks of dwarvish origin though the design around the stone looks elvish."

"What about the stone? If the dwarves made it then would they know about what kind of stone it is? I once took it to a jeweler before, but they had no idea what it was."

"Nay, I am not very knowledgeable in gems and stones. I will ask him of the stone too. You should have told me of this sooner…Amara…are you alright?"

Tears had run freely down my face when he had begun telling me of my necklace. It was just one step closer to finding them and I couldn't help but let my emotions get the better of me.

"Yes I'm fine. I'm just so happy that finally someone knows for sure I was meant to be here. Thank you." I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him as though he was life itself. His musky scent with lavender calmed my senses and slowly his arms came around me and held me.

"Your welcome Amara."


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: So sorry to have kept you waiting! Unfortunately life got in the road with school and finals and other personal dilemmas. Hopefully soon I can get back to a more on time schedule. Also my brain has been picking at me with other ideas for another fanfic I plan to write which will be in the Harry Potter section! I plan to be writing the first chapter to that very soon, but till then I will be using most of my time to write Beyond This World. Enjoy!

—

Chapter 5 A Diabolic Waltz

 ** _"_** ** _The Greatest Gem Discoveries Of The Dwarves...no...Dwarf Mines and other Cites...no...Gems Of The Glittering Caves...again no."_** My thoughts bore down on me.

Pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration I had been pouring over every book of dwarf jewels I could get my hands on; even elvish and still no mention of anything significant that would be related to Amara's necklace. For several days I had cooped myself up in the library trying to find some clue. Amara had tried to help, but unfortunately for her, most of the books were in elvish so it was useless for her to read and understand. As far as we could tell it was no diamond, quartz or a white sapphire. The descriptions did not match when we compared features from the books to the stone on hand. The stone itself was white and clear-less, cut in a pear shape with great radiance and facets. In some angles it appeared to have its own aura giving it an ethereal feel.

"Why don't we take a break Legolas. You've been at it since this morning." Amara came up next to me bringing me out of my thoughts.

Her strange attire always caught me by surprise, but in some ways it just made her, her. Today her dark burgundy hair was tossed up in a bun on top of her head showing off her slender neck. The blue fitted trousers she had on were practically unheard of here, though I had grown used to them on her. Her tunic today had some sort of geometric design on dark cloth that was partly hidden by the grey cardigan that swallowed her tiny frame. She also had the odd habit of running around inside bare footed and only bothered to put on shoes when she went outside. Her quirky personality never had a dull moment, but as soon as she was serious about something she was dead set on the task. We had been talking more lately and quickly became fast friends spending most of our hours together in the corner tower room.

"Perhaps you are right. If we go now we may be able to get to lunch on time." I shut my book and added it to the increasing pile of others on the table that had turned up nothing.

In the corner of my eye I noticed that her arms were not completely bare. A ragged old brown leather book, that had looked like it had seen better days, was protectively nestled in her arms, tight against her.

 ** _"_** ** _She would find the oldest book in the library."_**

"Find something you can actually read and not "chicken scratch" as you call it?" I smirked.

"Oh ha-ha, not my fault I can't read your scribbly elf language. At least this is a language I can make out and half way understand. Or whatever it is that remotely resembles English." She grumbled.

"Scribbly elf language?" My eyebrow twitched up as I looked to the side to read the title of the book "The Surgeries and Cures of the Edian. Is that not a little too advanced for you?"

"I'm seventeen not five. Actually it's very interesting. I want to go into nursing when I finish school back home. At least when I _was_ back home. Why not study up on it now?"

"But that has nothing to do with...nursing." I stated as a matter fact. I watched as her face wrinkled in confusion then in no less that a minute her eyes got wide and a blush creeped into her cheeks.

"Dear Jesus, Legolas get your mind out of the damn gutter! Not that kind of nursing!" she walked away in a huff towards the door and I jumped up to follow her. I could hear her muttering insults under breath and I could not help but snicker in amusement. She looked back giving me a glaring look.

"Ugh men."

"Ah good thing I'm not a man, but an elf." I teased further. This earned me a slap in the arm by her book and all I could do was laugh.

"I give. I only mean to tease you. Milady you are so mean."

"You think that's mean?" she smiled obviously up to no good.

"It will only be mean if I beat you to the dining hall while I have a poor elf trailing behind eating my dust." she laughed and took off in a wild dash.

 ** _"_** ** _We will see about that milady."_**

I took off after her, there was no way she was going to outrun me a second time.

—

I ran as fast as my short legs could take me. I had made off in my challenge slightly ahead of him going down hallways, twists and turns and over the bridge, giggling all the way. The wind rushed by me as I passed all of Rivendell. Onlookers looked at us in our shocked decorum, but I didn't have a care in the world. I peered behind me for a brief second and saw Legolas hot on my trail. Running faster I made it to the dining hall bursting in, collapsing by the doorframe in a laughing fit.

"I do believe mister elf that I have won" I looked back to see him just coming him at a walk breathing deeply and labored, rubbing his chest. His face constricted in pain and by the time he got to me he was trying to force himself to catch his breath but couldn't. I dropped my book, not bothering that I had discarded it without care and made my way to Legolas's side. Just standing beside him I could hear his lungs wheezing.

"Legolas? Are you ok?" I asked alarmed.

"I..just need to...catch my breath" he breathed out chopping his words.

I spotted a nearby chair, quickly grabbed it and brought it over to him, making him sit down.

"Legolas listen to me. You need to calm down," I took his hands and forced him to concentrate on me, my eyes boring into his "you are panicking because you can't breathe making your heart work harder. Take a deep breath and hold it then let go."

He did as I asked and then repeated it again over and over till he finally was able to gain back control. Last thing he needed was to have an asthma attack here in the dining room especially if he was as sick as Elladan said he was. Lord Elrond appeared by us, putting a steady hand on Legolas's shoulder as he conversed with him in their language, most likely seeing if he was ok. Legolas nodded and responded back, seemingly everything was fine.

"That was quick work Amara." Lord Elrond glanced towards me. "Where did you learn to do that if I may ask?"

"A friend of mine has asthma and he often goes into asthma attacks. One day he forgot his inhaler...his medication..and was doing these breathing techniques and I just learned from him."

"Impressive indeed. Although I do recommend no more racing to get to lunch." He threw Legolas one last stern look like that of a parent disciplining a child. "I will check on you later."

I watched him slip away, leaving to take a place in the dining hall at one of the long tables for the meal. Legolas was still taking deep breaths as I peered down at him, a thin sheen of sweat was nearly unnoticed on his forehead.

"Sorry. I didn't know I was going to cause you to go into an attack by racing here." I felt bad for his current condition.

He shook his head.

"Nay, I knew better and did it anyway. Though I do thank you for helping me. Seems like I truly did eat your dust." A small chuckle slipped out. I shook my head at his carelessness, but did not badger him.

"It's nothing. Why don't we get something to eat so we can get back to looking for clues?" I held out my hand and he took it, helping him to his feet. There seemed to be a whole crowd of people in the hall ranging from Lord Elrond's advisors, musicians, teachers I had seen in the town schooling children, and Lord Elrond's students from the healing ward. Legolas and I found us a spot at one of the long tables by the window that overlooked Rivendell to the courtyards below, a picturesque view of scenery. The sights here were never dull and I continued to find new ones everyday.

" _Should've brought my camera."_ I thought dejectedly

A servant came to our table and brought a dish of a green feast for us today. A leafy salad with the fixings. Cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs, nuts, spring berries and vinaigrettes. The servant bowed and left us to serve another table. I couldn't help but look at the salad before me and smile to myself, remembering one of my patients back home.

"Too many K's." My thoughts made themselves known.

Legolas looked up from his bowl and cocked his head to the side.

"K's?"

"I'm a CNA in my world, which is basically a healer's aide here I suppose. I have one patient who is on blood thinner because he had heart surgery years ago and now he can't eat too many green vegetables because it has Vitamin K in it. Vitamin K thickens the blood. So every time he would get something green on his meal tray he always says "it has too many K's"." I smelled a tantalizing strawberry dressing and poured it on my salad.

His lips curled to a smile.

"You miss taking care of your patients I see? You miss your work?"

"I do. I worked on the rehab hall in the nursing home. So not only would I help them with everyday essentials but I helped rehabilitate them so they could get stronger and go back home to their own lives. However, some stay longer than others or are frequent visitors. I think I have seen Vitamin K guy about four times already in the past year." my voice diminished.

"I take it his health is not very good?"

I shook my head and stirred my salad around.

"No. Multiple organ failure, has problems with edema, his circulation is very poor, not to mention he fell at home one day and broke his femur in 3 places. I hate to say it but I don't see him living too much longer."

He reached across the table and took my hand and squeezed it. Looking up at him at the gesture I saw his features had softened, his eyes seeming not so dark and more color floating in the depths.

"At least you are helping him as much as you can. You are giving him more opportunities to wake up and enjoy life while he still has it. You are blessing him with life."

I could feel a blush creep into my face a second time in the the course of the afternoon, making it hot.

"Gee Legolas I'm not that special." I tried to advert my eyes in shyness though had a hard time looking away.

"You are to me."

The words flowed so easily from his mouth like it was any other conversation, but it struck a cord in me. In some ways Legolas reminded me of George, my stubborn patient with a bad heart. Then again he also reminded me of someone else I wish I could forget.

I pulled my hand away gently to not insult him because I knew he meant well, but he had no idea of the meaning of the words he said to me. Even he seemed rather caught off by his own words.

"Thanks Legolas. It means a lot. But you know if you want to help that heart of yours you best cut out the K's too." I couldn't help but pester him to change the subject.

His face fell into a teasing scowl.

"Oh really? And what do you suggest I eat? I like my salad thank you very much." He said as he took his fork and shoved a bite into his mouth.

I took a bite of mine as well and whispered under my breath.

"Too many K's."

—-

I looked out among the courtyard watching the setting sun, hoping to see some trace of a messenger, but sadly there was no one in sight. The only people here was two guards at the bottom of the stairwell and me.

 _"_ _Why couldn't I have come to a planet where they have phones here. It would be so much faster."_

 _"_ _Toughen up buttercup. The only mail you have here is the pony express."_ My thoughts bickered at each other.

Knowing full well there would be no one I stood from the steps and trudged back inside. It was nearly dark now and Legolas and I had been in the library all day and found nothing. Zero, zip, nada. We decided to call it quits for today and regroup tomorrow, but I had this feeling that we wouldn't find anything tomorrow either. I was just going to have to simply wait, an action that made me fidgety and nervous.

Moving my way through the halls I noticed elves going to a large room with giant wooden doors. I didn't remember going down this way with Legolas and made up my mind to check it out. Peering from the outside I saw many an elf sitting in chairs or on the floor all listening to a form of entertainment. There would be some elves singing, reciting poetry or even acting out a small play. None of it I could understand because it was all in their language, but they appeared to be having a good time. I turned to leave when I bumped into a tall person in a elaborate purple outfit who turned out to be none other than Lord Elrond.

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry I didn't know you were behind me." My voice rushed out mortified.

"It is quite alright you did not know. I am rather late to the entertainment in the Hall of Fire." he walked past me but then stopped to turn to me "Amara, perhaps you would like to take your mind off things? Join us and be merry."

"I don't want to intrude…" I tried to shy away in awkwardness. He didn't press the invitation when he thought of another offer.

"I have heard from my sons and Legolas that you are interested in the medical field and you even showed some technique today. And forgive me in advance, but I overheard your conversation with Legolas about your..Vitamin K patient which I am interested to know more about. I know you have plans to further your schooling in healing in your own world, but why not here as well? It could take your mind off things."

I could've swore my heart stopped beating for a split second. Me study here in Rivendell?! No doubt the medical training here would be out of date, but it would be learning from how people did nursing pre-technology era. No doubt learning how to make medicine au natural from the earth itself. Plus I would be getting a head start for school.

"Really?! I mean..that would be great! Thank you!" I beamed from ear to ear too happy to conceal my excitement.

"Very well. First I will have you take a test. Just to see how far your knowledge lies and we will go from there. I will see you in the morning in the surgery ward." From the pocket of his robes he pulled out the book I had discovered in the library. I had forgotten to pick it up from the dining hall from earlier.

"You may need this. I know it helped me a lot when I began my training as well. Now it will get some use again." I took it with newfound care and with a turn of his robes he left and entered the Hall of Fire.

I could've done a happy dance right there. I had a perk to my step all the way back to my room. Hopefully this test wasn't too hard then again surely it wasn't too easy. What exactly did a medieval time period world do in regards to healthcare? Did they know anything about sterilization? Using safety precautions? Hygiene? CPR?! The more I thought about it the more my perky step became a slow walk.

 _"_ _This may prove more challenging indeed."_

I came to my room shutting the door quietly behind me and started to undress for bed. I shrugged off my cardigan and pulled off my shirt, tossing them carelessly on the bed.

 _"_ _Plus at that they are elves. They don't get sick..except for Legolas..the only other reason they would need doctors and such is if they had war going on. And from what I've heard from Legolas the most recent war has been over for awhile now."_

I nearly had my pants unzipped when I quick knock came to the door, and whoever it was, came in unannounced. I whipped my head around quickly to my intruder and it was none other the Legolas himself! I grabbed my shirt back and held it tightly to my chest while Legolas, looking like he had seen more than his fair share, spun around trying to look away; clearly embarrassed for not giving me time to answer the door myself.

(Legolas you idiot! Can you not see I'm fucking halfway naked!)

His body scrunched at my crude Japanese, even though he did not know what I had said, he could tell by my tone I was heated.

"Ah, Amara please. I am very sorry I had no idea!"

"Just..ugh!," I made quick about getting my nightgown and threw it over me, not caring I still had my pants on "Ok there. I'm decent."

He slowly turned and the poor elf was flushed from face to ears. He did not have the courage to look at me in the eye and kept staring at the floor. One would think he had never seen a naked woman or either at that chivalry ran hard in their society, but somehow I was thinking it was the first thought.

"What did you need Legolas?" My voice tried to sound cooled off.

His eyes peeked up slightly and he started to speak but his words never came, just stuttering.

"Oh for Jesus Christ sake Legolas I'm not mad! They are just breasts it was an accident! There, it's out there, now what?"

The poor elf's face flushed even more if it could and he took a gulp.

"No need to put it so...bluntly. A woman's body is sacred I just...did not know you were undressing. I am sorry."

I sighed "It's fine. Don't worry about it. It's behind us. Now what is it?"

"I was coming to tell you I may have found something."

My interest perked up and my breath hitched.

"Then in that case I forgive you."

"I thought you already did?"

"Yea well I'm a woman we do have some pride you know."

He shook his head taking a seat on my bed and showed me a large book, thickly bound at the spine as though it had been repaired from much use.

"It is a old guard rotation schedule from here in Rivendell. Now this does not say anything about your necklace but it may have a small clue of what your necklace might be made of. It may have not been mined from the earth at all."

"Then...where?" I asked curiously.

He flipped open a page he had marked, careful not to tear the pages.

"What does it say?"

"It was written in Lairë...in summer for the elves. Looks like August 25th, it is hard to tell the ink is smudged...but it was 17 years ago. These reports tell what happened on each shift of the day and the captain of the patrol on duty is the one who records it. On this day it was not something that happened on their watch, but an outside occurrence. It says "Early morn, all is well from the night. No outside disturbances and all men accounted for. At about 6:30 this morning a great light fell from the sky, its' body and tail, red, leaving a large plume in its' wake as it traveled northeast across the mountains and left our sight"."

I sat down beside him my mind reeling from this new information. A meteor? Oddly enough one that came down 17 years ago.

"The orphanage that I lived at as child they said when I was found I wasn't a newborn that I was older than that. Possible 7 or 8 months old. They assumed my birthday would be that last summer. This would be right, but what would a meteor have to do with my birthday?"

He shook his head, having no answer for my question.

"I know not though we elves are always superstitious. I am not sure what this means but it does give us a clue of what was happening here around the time you were born, if our information is correct. It is also quite possible that jewel is not a gem but part of the meteor."

I looked down at my necklace and couldn't help but wonder if it was. It would explain it's strange aura.

"I will keep reading and see if I can find anything else."

He arose from my bed leaving me to my thoughts. If it was true, it meant that this meteor stone crashed in the northeast and possibly the place my parents lived and acquired it. But that didn't explain it's elvish design or dwarvish metal. It seemed I had more questions to my answers once again. One thing was for certain though, the chances of me being from here was growing.

—

To say I was nervous the next morning was an understatement. If you have ever had that sinking feeling when you get a pop quiz at school and you know damn well you didn't study for shit and you knew you was screwed, that pretty much summed it up. I had no idea what to expect and I hated that. I had picked at my fingernails till they felt raw as I watched Lord Elrond come to the small table he had set up for me to take the test.

"Now do not worry. Take your time, answer what you know and think carefully." Lord Elrond set down the parchment in front of me on the table as I nodded my head and took one of their quills.

I had hardly slept from the night before my mind was too caught up in wondering about my necklace and my parents. There had to be some sort of connection to it all. I peered over the test and thankfully it was in a form of writing I could understand, probably for my sake.

First question.

 _Name the four chambers of the heart and their vessels._

 _"_ _Ok easy. Right and left atrium, right and left ventricle. Superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, pulmonary artery and pulmonary vein, and the aorta."_ I thought back to my AP Anatomy class I was taking before I came here.

Next question.

 _What are the steps to an appendectomy?_

 _"_ _Why do I feel like I'm playing MasterSurgeon online?"_

The questions went on and on, ranging from basic anatomy to stitching techniques, after care and full blown surgical procedures step by step. I only answered what I knew and guessed on the rest. After one final look I turned my test into him at his desk, praying to God Lord Elrond would let me join his class. I chewed my bottom lip in anticipation as he viewed over it, sometimes stopping to re-read my answers over again.

"I must say I am not sure what a blood transfusion is. Your knowledge of aftercare seems spot on. Anatomy needs a little work. Knowledge of surgery procedures...well...we will start at the beginning." His grim look at the end of his answer was beginning to throw my confidence out the window.

"I know I'm not as knowledgeable in the area like your other students, but I am a fast learner. And I will come to all the classes and work all the shifts in the surgery if I have to. I really want to be a healer Lord Elrond." I added in hoping it would count for something.

"It is alright.," he put my test aside and gave me a reassuring smile,"This was just to see where you were in terms of things. Your answers were good and some almost correct they just need some work. How about you start my class next week. There are some books I can loan you so you can brush up on some things and we can start from there."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding and smiled wide.

"Ok that sounds good. Thank you." I said a tad bit over excited.

I left the surgery ward wondering how in the hell I had just pulled that off.

 _"_ _Well at least this will keep my occupied until word comes back from Lord Elrond and Legolas's letters they sent out."_ I thought to myself.

And that was probably for the best.

—

The rest of the day was uneventful. Most of it was spent in the corner tower room with Legolas while he read up on the old rotation schedules of the guards and I, on anatomy and physiology. In this uneventfulness is where we found our solitude. We could find peace in our lives and didn't have a care in the world. Except perhaps the hard floor.

"Legolas" I groaned out

"Hmm?" He didn't even bother to look up from the book.

"My ass fell asleep."

His face contorted into a grimace and peered at me, then let out a laugh.

"Oh really? And what does milady want me to do about her posterior?"

"I don't know but we have to do something with this floor. Like get some pillows or a futon or something."

"Foo-tawn? What sort of words do you speak? Your language is so strange." He looked back towards his book, flipping the page.

Closing my book and setting it aside I tried to adjust myself from the bone breaking floor.

"Well it's not really my language but the language of my best friend. She's practically my sister and I love her to death. Her family is from a country called Japan and the language is Japanese. When I used to live with her I picked it up and it just always stuck with me."

He nodded in understanding.

"So what is a foo-tawn?"

"It is a Japanese bed. Basically it is kind of like having the mattress part on the floor without the bed frame and you can easily fold it up for storage. They're very convenient."

"I see. It would be nice. It would add some cushion."

I laid my head back on the wall and closed my eyes.

"Yes. With a hot bowl of ramen and Mountain Dew Baja Blast from Taco Bell. That sounds so good right now."

"I...take it you are homesick?" His voice raised a wavering question.

 _"_ _Homesick? Was I truly homesick?"_

I often thought of the place where I used to live and sometimes found myself missing it terribly. I missed my friends, my school life, the ocean, the gloomy weather of Washington, traveling the world. Everything. But was that place truly my home or was it here? We were finding out more each day with a tiny little discoveries. Or was I just homesick for a home?

"Maybe a little. Do you ever miss your home?"

"Yes..and no." His answers were always so cryptic and short. As though he could never make up his mind of what he thought. It made me wonder if there was more than just a tiff between him and his father that would make him say no, especially a _prince_ saying no.

"Do you think you will ever go back to your home?" my curiosity getting the better of me.

"I am not sure. Maybe to be buried there."

His voice had changed from being cheerful to almost morbid. How could he not want to get better for his family. Surely they loved him and cared about him.

"Why so macabre? You are so focused on dying have you ever thought about living?" My thoughts burst out from my mouth without a second guess.

He closed his book with a thump and my eyes opened at the unexpected sound.

"The heart condition I have is incurable and soon I will succumb. So there is no point of going home." He got up hastily and headed to the door.

"I will speak of this no more."

"Wait," I got up after him grabbing his arm to turned him back to me looking him straight in the eye "there is no need to waste what time you have left moping about just waiting to fall into your grave. Live life like tomorrow is your last day. I know you have probably lived a long time as an immortal, but us mortals have to deal with death everyday. We live everyday to the fullest like it was intended to be. If I was in your shoes I'd prove them wrong, keep your head held high make them wonder why you keep smiling. Also if I was you…," I felt my throat constrict, emotions trying to show up without my permission, "I would want to see my family before I died. You're lucky Legolas. At least you have family. I don't even now if mine is alive or not. Don't take it for granted."

I let him go hoping I had talked some sense into his thick skull.

"You do not understand Amara. This matter does not concern you." he pressed on.

"It does concern me because you are my only friend here in this world. I worry about you. I want to help you." I pleaded.

"Why?" He almost hissed.

"Because...because I don't want you to die alone and forgotten with no one by your side. I've been there Legolas. Wanting to die because there is nothing left for you and that place is not pretty. If I didn't have my friends back home I would still be in that place. Just let me help you. Let me be there for you."

His features softened and his eyes shone with a new luminance, but his emotions were held back by the mask he hid behind.

"I am not sure if you can help me. It has been far too long since I have found happiness in my long life as it was so easily taken away from me and not by my own hand. There is still so much you have to learn about elves and that is our sadness can stretch out for years if not a thousand years."

This shook my to the core. How could anyone on earth endure a thousand years of sadness?

—

 ** _"_** ** _A message. To Mithrandir. And in such haste as the poor lad had pressed."_** He looked towards to his pet hawk.

" **What do you think Screecher? Hmm? Business, politics, maybe the Old Lord finally decided to go to Valinor? Let's take a look shall we."** Waving the letter over the steam of his kettle he easily popped open the guarded seal of Rivendell. Being careful he unfolded with expert care and began to read. After all this was not the first time he tampered with the post.

 **"** **Oh…ohhhh interesting,"** he looked toward Screecher as the bird of prey was eagerly dancing about on his master's desk. **"Guess he's staying. Looks like his daughter has suddenly reappeared."**

He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a thin book and opened it to the first page. Laying the letter face down on the book page he uttered a quick menacing incantation. Taking the letter off, the once secret words were now in the book, as if they had just been written.

 **"** **Now, the New Lord shall know."** the elf smiled to himself of his deed as the words disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Farther Along

The most stereotypical thing I've ever heard is that girls like to go shopping. It's in their genes, their blood, imbedded in their DNA. Particularly clothes shopping. Back home I had seen black Friday sales hunted down like it was National Geographic; where the starving lion mauls down a gazelle, ravishing it to bits. I didn't understand the importance of trying to go out into town to get a good deal when it was like shopping during the apocalypse. You just knew it was a possibility that you might die. My personal preference, no I don't like to clothes shop except maybe on rare occasions, other than that I am content with my simple clothes. On any given day I would rather shop for books or vintage vinyl records, but sadly today was not one of those days.

Imagine my surprise when I got up the next morning only to have Lady Celebrian drag me out into the heart Rivendell to do just that: clothes shop. Thankfully there wasn't any heavy crowds and hordes of people, instead it was just the city of Rivendell bustling about their daily lives. The difference in my new life made the trip more calming and relaxing. You would think that after being around them for awhile I wouldn't feel like I was at a renaissance fair, but I couldn't help to think they were all fake, scripted in-character workers. However, they were the real deal. From the heat blazing out of the blacksmith's shop, the stench of livestock in their stables, and the strange looks the locals gave me I knew it was all real. It didn't matter how many times I pinched myself or woke up each morning I always felt the need to ground myself to this place to truly make sure I was here and not in some coma. But I knew I was here, there was no way I could dream this up.

"So where are we going?" I asked as I followed her down the cobblestone street. Her simple white dress flowed in the wind like a veil behind her and her golden hair sparkled in the sunlight. With her height and chiseled features one would think she was a long forgotten goddess that had stepped out of the legends of Greek mythology.

"A favorite tailor of mine. She has been making clothes for me since I married my husband and now she will for you." she flashed me a imp like grin and interlocked her arm with mine.

"But..," I leaned in, trying to conceal my whisper only to her, "have no way to pay her..I have no money." nervousness crept in my voice.

"That is because I am paying. You can not start your schooling with my husband in..those trousers and tunic you don everyday. You need a good dress and apron as the healers wear."

 _"_ _A dress and apron?! Oh lord have mercy on me."_ My thoughts raged in alarm at the prospect of a dress. It was bad enough I had to wear a skirt everyday for school since they did uniforms.

We came to a small stone cottage-like house that was over shaded with pine trees near the river, almost picturesque to a Thomas Kinkade. Lady Celebrian knocked on the door and a elf lady, about the same age as her with golden brown hair braided back answered. Clearly not noticing that she had string and scraps of cloth here and there on her dress. Once the two saw each other they greeted one another as if they hadn't seen the other in years, hugging and chatting it up.

 _"_ _Years."_

My thoughts of Legolas and his words last evening was making me wonder how long he had truly been in his condition as my gaze turned back up at the tower of the healing ward. A thousand years of sadness. How can anyone live like that and endure it? What happened to him?

"Amara," Lady Celebrian brought me out of my distraction and I turned back to the two women. "This is my friend Megilwen. She will be taking your measurements and be making your dresses."

Feeling out of place and awkward I made a small bow and said how do you do. It was the only polite etiquette I knew since I didn't know the social protocol or customs of these elves.

"Why do you bow like a man? And wear men's clothing? Celebrian I thought you said this was a young lady." Megilwen chided. Her words instantly annoyed me and I threw her an icy stare. Seriously what is wrong with a woman wearing pants?

"She is foreign, she does not know our customs, but she is to be starting with Elrond's class in the art of healing. So maybe she will pick up a thing or two."

Before I knew it I was drug inside into a room that had all sorts of different textures of fabric of multiple designs laying about on every speck furniture, then ordered by this drill sergeant of a pin prick to strip down.

"Can't you get my measurements with my clothes on?" I really wasn't in the mood to go commando.

She put her hands on her hips and made a scowl on her face not liking that I wasn't cooperating.

"Oh come now child we are all women here. It is nothing we have not seen before."

She promptly came over jerking my t-shirt off my body taking me by surprise. She tossed it over on the floor, but before she could get her fingers on me again I slid my pants off; leaving me in just my underwear and trying to cover up what breasts I had.

"My goodness you are thin as a rail. Do you not eat? Let me get my measuring tape, then again I may not need a whole lot of it". I watched her huff off and looked back at Lady Celebrian.

"Does she have no filter?!" I whispered harshly.

"She can be...straight forward sometimes" she gave me an apologetic look.

"Sometimes?" my voice dripped in mock sarcasm as my eyebrows shot up.

Megilwen came back in and started her measurements, scratching down her numbers.

"I must say this will be my smallest dress yet." she muffled out.

Once she was finished I quickly put on my clothes, giving Lady Celebrian a pleading look hoping we were done. As if reading my thoughts the two elves finished up their transactions and soon we were on our way. Never in my life had I been so man handled or elf handled I suppose was the correct term.

 _"_ _Seamstress Nazi."_

My mind wondered back to my previous thoughts from before about the lives of elves. So far here I had never seen an "older" elf. Everyone was visibly young and roughly the same age and there were only a few elf children I had seen. None of them looked like Legolas who seemed to be withering away by the day. How does an elf get sick if they don't actually get sick?

"Is something troubling you Amara? You seem so lost in thought." Lady Celebrian asked.

"Well I keep thinking about the lives of elves. How do you know which person is older if everyone looks the same age? How do you not get sick but then again have health problems? It doesn't make any sense." I voiced my confusion.

Her sideways glance looked equally as puzzled.

"Health problems? What do you mean?"

"I mean like an elf born with health abnormalities."

"It is very rare that we are born with abnormalities but we can not develop them later in life like mortals if that is what you are implying."

I paused in my tracks and she looked back towards me.

"Then how does an elf get sick?"

A sigh escaped her lips and she took my hand, taking me away from cobblestone street that lead back to the city and onto a beaten path, to a tree line by the river. We sat on some sunbaked boulders as the river crackled by, reminding me of the camping grounds I was at with my friends before I came here. Her face looked worried yet contemplated as if she didn't know what to say as she chewed her bottom lip.

"Amara," she took both of my hands in hers, "I know you and Legolas have been spending a lot of time together and you two have become good friends, but you must be careful. Elves are very different from mortals. We are resistant to illnesses, but can be slain. However, there is another thing that can kill us and that is a broken heart. An elf under deep stress at having lost a loved one, one can suffer from this and it is a painful death. Legolas has lost someone dear in his life and has suffered greatly, but by some miraculous horrible twist of fate he survived. He is the only elf thus far to have survived it, but really he would have been better off if he would have died or went to the Undying Lands."

This new information startled me though it made since why the subject was touchy. God only knows what society thought of him and to be of royal blood. It would explain his hesitancy to talk about his home and his shifty moods.

"What kind of heartbreak did Legolas go through to have this happen?"

"I think that answer can be better off answered by Legolas himself. But know this Amara, you are the first person he has let into his social life in quite a while. If I were you I would tread lightly. Like the training of a warrior there is a circle and a warrior will only let those he feels are his friends into that circle and he has let you in. Not just because you are his ward, but you have shown him compassion and friendship and he has let you have some of his trust. Be careful with it because right now he needs a friend."

"Basically I'm walking on thin ice with him." My words came out as a statement.

"I'm just saying be careful. If he were to loose someone else close to him I don't think he would make it."

I nodded at her warning. It all explained Legolas's behavior, his refusal to talk about his home, his family, anything relating to his condition. The mere thought of it must bring him pain and the remembrance of memories he doesn't want to relive. The last thing I wanted to do was jeopardize our friendship for the risk of his death.

My feet wandered, taking me to their destination on their own accord. I had been strolling along for hours now since early dawn, somehow ending up in the gardens. Amara had been gone since early this morning with Lady Celebrian. It was good that she had gotten out for awhile and with female company. Our days together searching for clues for endless hours was beginning to take a toll on us and we both needed a break.

The mid spring air was becoming warmer lately and with it, it brought life back to the plants and flowers making them bloom in full force. I minded to steer clear of the healers at work gathering their herbs in the raised beds for medicine, keeping to myself. The gardens of Rivendell had a wide variety of species of plants and everything was usable, but the gardens of my home were much bigger.

Did I even want to go home? Was there any use? Amara's words cut into me like a knife stabbing at thoughts I did not want to think about it, but they hit true. My lifespan was becoming shorter by the day and eventually I would die. Once word got to my father of my death I knew there would be mixed emotions all around the kingdom.

Halting in my stride a little white star on the ground near my boot caught my eye, a flower frail and delicate. Crouching down I picked its slender stem and twirled it in between my fingers, inspecting it for a closer look. I had seen this flower before, but where?

 ** _"_** ** _Simbelmyne. What is it doing here?"_**

The name echoed like a ghost from the past, but it was just last year Theodred had been laid to rest with his forefathers in the fields of Rohan. And such a funeral it was.

 _(The Lady Eowyn sang the song of mourning of her people in her native tongue as the procession led down to the hill of the stone crypt, a crypt that was not meant to be. Theodred's body was carried like a ship over a sea of onlookers by the soldiers of his father, King Theoden. I stayed back with Aragorn and Gimli, their heads hung down in solemn respect. But I, I watched. I had never seen a mortal funeral. It was so strange. They were mortal knowing one day they would die, yet they mourned, wailed even at death, they feared it. Ones who lived with death like a unexpected visitor that they knew would one day come to their door. Mortals were indeed strange._

 _The procession stopped and Theodred's body was lead into the crypt. The white flower's, Simbelmyne, adored the graves nearby, blanketing it like winter's frost. Soon his grave would be the same._

 _Eowyn's song came to an end and the city left, departing one by one each paying their respects to their king. The chill of the windy plains bit at the people as they wrapped their coats and shawls tighter around their bodies wiping away their tears of an uncertain future._

 _Was this what it was? Is this how it would be...for me? If I did not survive this war would my people morn for me? My father?_

 ** _"Legolas you are too quiet. You act as though you have never seen a funeral before. I know you have seen funerals of elves."_** _Aragorn's gruff Sindarin accent spoke through the wailing of the crowd._

 _"_ ** _Aye, I have. Though not quite the same as mortal ones."_**

 ** _"How so?"_**

 _Looking through the crowd I saw King Theoden conversing with Gandalf. The King too was grief stricken his head buried into his hand letting his emotions flow freely down his face._

 _"No parent should have to bury a child." His voice cracked from sobbing._

 _Would my father cry too? Or would I be another disgrace to the family name?_

 ** _"I am not sure, but for me it is. Then again..it may be the same here soon."_**

 _His brows crossed in my cryptic words. He had no idea what I was thinking and it was best if he did not know. He had enough on his shoulders already trying to fill the shoes as the new potential King of Gondor. That is if we survived our fates upon the battle field in Mordor)_

And we didn't die, even though it was deemed a suicide mission to start with. What an irony even then when the Lady Galadriel and foreseen my departure of this world, but it had never come to pass. It had made me question everything the rest of the journey when I heard my fortune from Gandalf's lips. Would I make it out Helm's Deep, to Gondor, The Black Gate? Every single battle I continued to prosper on, but for what? After Aragorn's coronation my only path would be to return home to the Woodland Realm. However, my welcome home was very short lived when arrived and soon I was sent here to Rivendell. My body was weary and it longed to go over the sea. For over a thousand years I have grieved and I was so tired, so very tired.

A shadow grew in front of me blocking the sun, but instead of a cloud it was Amara. Her face was full of emotion as she stared down at me that I could not tell what she was feeling. Sadness, anger, anxiety? She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath through her nostrils visibly trying to calm herself. When she opened them one emotion I could see clearly in her strange green depths: frustration.

"Legolas...I need a drink." she stated trying to keep her composure.

I looked towards the sky and judging by the sun it was nearly four in the afternoon, tea time by Merry and Pippin's standards. I once learned of the hobbit's seven meal a day intake when I caught them eating lembas before our departure from Lothlorien. Needless to say the looks on their faces was most satisfying when I explained the wonders of lembas to them. Poor little hobbits didn't eat a thing for the entire trip down the river to our new encampment. Samwise was beginning to think they took ill.

"There may be something in the dining hall. They always have cold water from the falls and tea." I suggested.

She shook her head, whisps of ebony cherry hair flying about against the wind.

"No..I need a something…more. Do you guys have hard liquor? Tequila? Fireball?"

Rising to my full height I contemplated her words.

"I take it you would like a stronger substance?"

"What's the strongest thing you got?"

—

"You know I do not condone of this."

"Yep."

"Or approve of respectable ladies going to a tavern specifically for strong drink."

I stopped and faced him.

"Legolas you should know by now I am no respectable lady. I'm no pompous princess. I just want a drink. Besides at that if you didn't think it was respectable then why did you lead me here? You could've said no."

His eyes got wide and looked nervously towards the door of the tavern we had come to on the outskirts of Rivendell. It was a rustic tall structure with white plastered walls framed in dark wood. A decorated sign of a glistening orange disk with a black background of a clouded night hung above outside the front door that read The Copper Moon.

"Very well. Besides,I think I need a drink as well." he opened the door and instantly we were flooded with the noise of a rowdy crowd of elves.

Soldiers gossiped about their skills with weapons by the counter, merchants discussed business from earlier in the day near the fireplace and then from the corner booth all dressed alike some students I recognized from the surgery. The busy tavern could've made anyone claustrofuckingphoic with the shoulder to shoulder crowd. I felt fingers snake through mine interlacing themselves with my own, taking me by a full grasp. I followed the owners arm and saw it belonged to Legolas and pulled me close to him.

"I do not want to loose you. You might be whisked away and never seen again." he joked referring to the people.

"And what? Put my face on the side of a milk carton hoping someone might find me?" I said jokingly.

He let out a laugh that had a cheerful ring to it.

"Not even a drop has went down your throat and you are already talking nonsense." He lead us to a table off to the side of the fire place, away to ourselves and away from the merchants.

 **"Ai, my lord. Good of you to come. And I see you brought the lady from the stars."** a dark haired elf came to our table dressed in what I presume to be worker's clothes of the tavern, a light long sleeve tunic with a dark blue vest and an apron at his waist. Once again I was out of the loop of the conversation from the language barrier.

 **"Lady of the stars? Is that what the city is naming her?** " Legolas answered him

 **"Oh yes. She is so otherworldly she can only come from the stars. At least that is what my wife says when the she came to the house with the Lady of Rivendell earlier today. Oh well never mind, can I bring some dinner and a hard glass wine?"**

Legolas nodded his head a smile played on his lips as the elf scurried off.

"What is it?" I wondered out loud.

"The elves here are enamored with you. Lady of the stars." His gaze fell on me in amusement.

"Lady of the stars? Good Lord. They make me sound like I'm some gypsy woman." I chuckled to myself. What would these elves think of next.

"May as well be true. After all a meteor did fall on the morning of your supposed birth. It has to be tied to you somehow. As if you were destined to journey the galaxy."

I shook my head at the ridiculous name. At least it wasn't something terrible. I was beginning to realize that I was going to need to learn the local lingo if I was going to be in Rivendell for awhile. I had lucked out from the start coming to a world that spoke English but if there were other peoples and races in this world I was going to need enough to get by. And I was going to have to start soon since I was going to attend Lord Elrond's class. When I lived with Ashley I had learned Japanese in about seven months. And that was only because I had drilled myself relentlessly day and night. Was I required to learn it, no, but I figured if I was going to hide away from going back to foster care and not going to school I may as well learn something.

The dark haired elf returned and set before us a hearty dinner of hot beef stew with searing vegetables and fluffy golden cornbread. Then he set down two clear crystal stemmed wine glasses and popped open a green glassed wine bottle. Wine? I was thinking more on the lines of beer or maybe whiskey if they have it. I looked to Legolas for answers and all he did was smile towards me, but the smile seemed to hiding something cryptic.

"A small drink for her. She has never tried it before. I do not want her to become too overwhelmed." Nodding in agreement, the elf poured barely covering the bottom, while giving Legolas a full serving. He set the bottle upon the table, gave a quick bow and proceeded on to wait on his other tables. I picked up the glass and peered down at the contents inside, curious of the wine substance. What was so potent about it that I received barely a dribble? Or was there drinking laws here I didn't know about?

"Not to be rude, but this is barely a sip of wine." I stated studying the dark crimson liquid that gave off a berry smell.

"It is a Dorwinion wine. It is a hard wine, made with the ripest of berries and sweetened with honey. Since it is very strong, it is why mostly elves drink it and not mortals. Hence only the sip. We elves prize our works not in beer or mead, but in a good wine. My father has an extensive list of trade dealers in just wine alone that comes from various lands and some farther out to the eastern reaches of Middle Earth itself. He even has his own vineyard in Dorwinion near the Sea of Rhun."

The sudden mention of his father surprised me as he talked freely about him. Lady Celebrian was right, he was slowly letting me into his inner circle of trust. The thought made me realize again that I had be careful. I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable given his situation. I felt like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place and I wasn't sure what to do. We could continue this friendship well until I was gone either to my family or until I grew old and died, but what would become of him. Or perhaps we could have a relationship that was strictly between prince and his ward and once we parted ways we would never hear of each other again. Either way the thought of him loosing his life because of my absence had me feeling remorseful. I didn't want to be to blame if he were to die. The whole situation had me wanting to forget the conversation I had with Lady Celebrian and pretend everything was not as bad it really was.

I had, had my fair share of alcohol before. I can't count the number of times in my wayward travels that I had visited a bar or party of some sort around the world and all their drinks. I also couldn't count the number of times I had been very stone dead drunk. While the wine looked inviting and harmless something told me Legolas spoke the truth and right about now it was what I was wanting. Picking up the delicate stemware I hesitantly took a small sip. The cool liquid floated over my tongue and down my throat and roasted it like a hot fire. The sweet taste of berries and honey lighted my taste buds and hit my stomach as I finished it off.

My eyebrows shot up as I sat down the glass. That was some powerful wine.

"Well," my voice pitched higher "I must say I wasn't expecting that...that wasn't too bad...I'll have another."

He cocked his head to the side and granted my request. This time a full glass. And this is how our night went. A quiet dinner between us followed by another and another glass of wine. Soon my nerves were calming down and the warmth of the wine flowed through my veins. The lull of the noisy tavern putting me in a relaxed state. I was not one that normally drank their feelings away and I knew better than to do this, but I did it anyway. Legolas was my friend in this world and I would be damned to let him be a lost cause. No one should be made to feel that way, to feel like an outsider. If he did truly suffer a broken heart he needed all the support he could get.

"Are you going to sit there sulking about or are you going to tell me what is so wrong that you needed seven glasses of wine. Hmm?" His deep voice came from the buzz of the tavern.

My eyes lazily looked up at him, a rosy glow illuminated his form from the fireplace softening his features to a youthful face.

"Its nothing. Just something Lady Celebrian said."

"Must have been some deep words in order for you to turn to drink." His face held a concerning gaze.

"No. I just...Oh never mind. What's the point of talking about it, it would only be awkward." My words stumbled out, trying to brush off his inquiry.

His hand reached over from across the table and touched mine. His strong warm hand. I don't know if it was the alcohol influencing me, but I couldn't help but notice how much of a attractive man er elf he really was. Cheekbones to die for, golden hair that only Rapunzel would be jealous of, creamy skin that would make any supermodel want to cut his throat out of jealously. Since I had met him all he had been wearing was dark colored clothes and before I couldn't help but think how it contrasted so badly on him. Now the light of the fireplace gave him such a sultry look that it could've been on the cover of one of those cheesy romance novels. He was tall, lean and I won't lie I may have looked at his ass a couple of times over the past couple of weeks. Good lord I sounded like a horny high school girl, except I was a horny inebriated high school girl. Yes, it had to be the alcohol. There was no way I would find a guy with long hair attractive. I must be delusional. Plus there was no need to lead him on in any way shape or form as it looked like he was in bad health purely in the romantic department anyhow.

"No..nope. I can't..do this. I know better when it's none of my business of what happened between you and your wife or girlfriend or whatever. And I am so sorry they are gone. Like I feel for you I really do. And your family needs to get their shit together and support you through this."

He looked around clearly not impressed with my confession and grabbed my hand.

"Not here Amara. You have no notion in which you speak." He hurriedly lead me outside and down the cobblestone street into the night, getting as far away from the tavern as he could.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere where half of Rivendell does not have to listen to your ridiculous drunken state."

I ripped my hand out of his at the accusation. The action made him stop in his tracks and look at me surprised, probably thinking a small girl such as myself could get free with ease with such a minimum amount of effort.

"Hey! I am not drunk, I am perfectly fine. You should try drinking a bottle of Fireball and see how well you do. That wine was like drinking water and I am perfectly capable of walking myself."

I bounded off down the street leaving him in his souped state towards the direction, I hoped, was back to the Healing House. Legolas came swiftly on my trial till he caught up beside me in no time.

"Then would you care to explain what on earth you were rambling on about back there at the tavern? Last time I looked I don't remember ever having a wife or some significant other so to speak!" his voice raised in annoyance.

"Then who is it?!" I countered back "Who has turned you into this?! Damn it Legolas you should be ashamed of yourself for having no will to save what family you have left. You take them for granted. I would give anything to be in your shoes. To have my parents to talk to, to hold me, to love me. Are you going to throw that away over someone that hurt you a thousand years ago?! I can't loose you too!" Tears threatened to fall from my eyes and my voice cracked but I fought them back as I poured out my heart. I had accepted the fact here recently that I may not get back to my world or see my friends again; the only true family I had there. Now that I was in this world I started from a blank slate again with no one. No one except him.

"Amara..it is a complicated and long story. One I will tell you when you are more sober. But no one made me this way. I made myself this way." he grabbed my arm again and spun me towards him to meet him face to face. His features were full of worry and concern.

"You will not loose me." He said softer this time.

"How do I know that? You are all I have in this world Legolas. I have lived with so many families in my life. Not just one but many. You learn to trust and love someone only for it to be taken away, then get thrown back into the system, be on the waiting list over and over again. And it gets so old. My friends back home are the only people that haven't left me and I left them by choice to chase a dream. A dream I don't even know still exists. I didn't want to leave them, but I did. I can't bare to loose someone else."

He wrapped his arms around me pulling me into a warm embrace. His hand stroked my hair as my head sat just right under the base of his chin. Again I felt the hot spark from his body. Or once again maybe it was the alcohol.

"Then...I will make another vow. I vow that you will not loose me. I promise. I know how you feel more so than you think." I returned the embrace, inhaling the deep musky scent of his clothes. After standing there from what seemed like an eternity we pulled away from one another.

"I'm sorry." I softly said

"Do not worry about it. It is nice to know that there is at least someone that cares about me."

A smile curled up on my lips and hips hand once again interlaced with mine.

"Well why don't we go to bed. It's getting late and I am getting tired."

"Aye, I would say so from what you have drank. After all I found out I have a wife today." he chuckled

"Oh my God, Legolas shut up. No doubt that won't be the last time I'll stick my foot in my mouth." I swatted him on the arm and it just made him laugh even harder as we made our way back to the Healing ward. We got all the way up to the top of the steps and out of nowhere Lord Elrond appeared as he was making his way out the door. All of a sudden I felt like a kid that got caught sneaking out by their parents with the stern face he gave us.

"Ah there you two are. I was wondering where you two ran off to." He looked down at Legolas and mine's interlocked hand and back to our faces, clearly waiting for an answer. "Care to explain?"

Legolas and I stood in silence for a moment till Legolas had he gumption to speak up.

"We went to see a fire moon. It was quite beautiful and Amara here has never seen one."

 _"_ _Fire moon? Oh The Cooper Moon. Riiiiggght. Good one Legolas."_

"Oh yea it was beautiful didn't last long though." I said trying to back up his story.

"A fire moon. I see. Well perhaps you two should get some rest. After all you must have walked quite a ways to get to see the fire moon." Lord Elrond said in skepticism.

We nodded our heads and scurried on past him, heading toward our rooms. We knew full well we got caught.

"Wow that was like 20 levels of awkward." I snickered.

"I would say so."

We made it to the door of my room and Legolas let go of my hand. Instantly the warmth from him was gone.

"Goodnight Amara. Get some rest. I may have to make you a specialty drink so you can get over the nasty hangover you are going to have in the morning." he tucked in a stray wisp of hair over my ear that was floating in front of my face.

"For the last time I am not drunk. I'm fine, really. I made it all the way here without tripping or falling on my face or even slurring my words. I'm not drunk. I can even do a field sobriety test to prove it."

His eyebrow quirked in amusement.

"Tis true, you did not, which I find most impressive. Usually humans who have had one or two glasses of Dorwinion wine would be very intoxicated right now, let alone one who has had seven. Usually elves can only handle that much. Maybe you have some elvish blood in you somewhere."

I rolled my eyes at his silly notion.

"Sure. Me an elf. That will be the day." I said my goodnight and went into my room, closing the door. The thought of me prancing in frilly dresses and pointy ears made me giggle. There would be no way I could be an elf. I bent over to untie my shoes and then it hit me. It hit me hard. Like a wrecking ball. Every bit of alcohol I had poured down my throat from earlier came rushing to my head to the point I was pretty sure my blood pressure dropped to nonexistent. My world became dizzy and my vision blurry then I became weightless. As though I was moving but I had no control over it. Before I knew I had face planted myself on the floor. Groaning I turned over what seemed to be my heavily weighted down body, onto my back.

 _"_ _Holy shit...what kind of alcohol was that?!"_

 _"_ _The kind that gets you fucked up."_

 _"Shut up brain..I'm..not..drunk."_

 _"_ _Sure."_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Unexpected Company

 **"My goodness look at her. Completely passed out."** Elladan looked down at the sprawled out form of Amara on the floor in her room.

 **"Aye. Completely sopping drunk by the smell of her,"** I concluded with my brother wrinkling my nose. **"And how did she get into such a state, Legolas?"** In unison, we looked to the blonde elf now bustling about making a tea for her that would cure said "hangover". He added in more contents to her cup and stirred some more, having made a small apothecary on her table by the window.

" **That would be because she had seven glasses of Dorwinion wine. How on earth she was able to walk all the way back here is a mystery to me."**

Elladan and I looked at one another. She certainly was our sister. No mortal could down seven glasses of Miruvor and live to tell about it, our elvish blood was still good and alive in her. By looking at her it appeared she did not get very far. Only one of her shoes was untied while the other was still laced and she was still fully dressed in her clothes. I shook my head at her pitiful state.

 ** _"_** ** _Oh sister of mine whatever shall we do?"_** I inwardly chuckled.

 **"The bucket Elrohir?"**

 **"Aye the bucket."**

It was water straight from the falls of Rivendell and certainly the coldest we had. It would certainly become one of the most wettest wake up calls she would ever have in her life. We picked up the bucket and readied our aim.

" **3..2..1"** We chucked the water on her, drowning her instantly to the bone. She flailed around coming to life, coughing and sputtering from the cold invasion.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! JESUS CHRIST WHAT THE FUCK?!" she screeched out, looking around wildly till her eyes landing on us.

"Oh God you two..I should've known." she groaned.

"At least you are lucky we did not throw you in the river. I had the unfortunate experience of that myself before." I re-accounted.

She ran her fingers through her hair, rubbing her head.

"God I have the worst headache ever. I am never drinking that wine again!"

"I do not doubt it," Legolas peered down over her, still stirring her drink, "that is why I have made you something for it." With some effort she sat up, cradling her sore head and took the readied drink from his hands. Not even bothering to smell or even look at the contents of the cup she started to down it, but about three gulps in she pulled it away from her mouth and made a grimace. I wasn't sure if she was going to yell more obscenities or vomit by the look f her scrunched up face.

"What is this?! It..tastes like...ass." she handed the drink back to him and shakily got up.

"It is bitter but it will help soon. Especially since you tried to defy logic and have seven glasses of wine. Then again I have been in your shoes before though not as drunk. Over a year, ago after the battle of Helms Deep, Rohan threw a celebratory gathering. How on earth I found myself in a drinking competition with a dwarf I will never know. I do believe I had around sixteen tankards of ale when I started to feel a slight tingly sensation in my fingers. As soon as I said that Gimli promptly passed out and I won."

Her brows came together and she looked towards Legolas utterly confused.

"You had sixteen tankards of ale? That's..what...a tankard is about twenty ounces times sixteen..three..three hundred and twenty ounces? You had three hundred and twenty ounces of beer?! Jesus Christ Legolas what was your blood alcohol level? I'm surprised you didn't die from alcohol poisoning!"

All three of us laughed.

"Sixteen tankards of ale is nothing for us elves. It is in our make up that we have strong resilience to potent drink." Elladan said.

"But where did he put it all?" She let out in a harsh whisper towards us.

"Ugh! Let me get out of these damn clothes before I freeze to death." She gave my brother and I a cold glare and muttered something about bakas and Legolas being a pissing racehorse under her breath, went to the washroom and closed the door.

Despite her strange ways it was refreshing to have a little sister back in the house again. Arwen has almost been married for a year now. Even though a year is nothing in the life of an elf, it had been oddly uncomfortable and drawn out. Someone we have known for over 2,000 years was all of sudden not with us and never would be again. The circumstances with Amara were very different since my brother and I did not get a chance to meet her when she was born or even know of her existence till weeks ago. We held no bond with her as family but little by little she was growing on us. I saw some of our father in her with her fiery attitude and the gentleness of our mother. Yet she seemed to be harboring mischievous thoughts with her sideways glances that could only belong to my brother and I. And she held the determination of our sister Arwen. She was a beautiful mix of all of us. Now, she was returning to us a young woman that was blossoming. It had been a rejoicing moment when she came home, but sometimes I wondered if she missed the world she had lived in for so long to want to go back? Did she have someone there that missed her? A family? The thought made me tense up. I wanted to shield her and protect her, just like a brother should, make her feel at home in her true home. Deep down inside the life of the Eldar was in a dormant state within her and would continue to be if she did not become part of of elvish culture. At least till Gandalf returned. There had to be some way to make her learn, make her see, something to awaken her. She needed to be elvenized.

From the corner of my eye I could see Elladan give me a knowing look, as though he could read and sense my very thoughts. And like looking in a mirror we both smiled. We had a plan.

—

"For the evening news tonight it has been a month since the disappearance of Amara McCullough, a junior at Cedar Coast High School. She was last seen on a camping trip over Spring Break with her friends at the Olympic National Forest…" the woman droned on with the report.

Stirring her noodles around aimlessly in her bowl Jocelyn watched the 6 o'clock evening news from the outdated TV mounted on a corner stand on the wall. The aromatic air of ramen broth fill the small Japanese restaurant mixing her emotions of comfort food and the loss of her friend.

"Are we going to sit here and act like this is not the most weirdest thing we've ever done? After all we did help her disappear." she pulled her eyes from the TV and to her boyfriend Nick, tossing her frizzy dirty blonde hair to one side.

"While the cops breathe down our bloody necks every fucking waking minute of the day. Especially that perv Sheriff McCullough. Oh yea not weird at all. We did her a favor getting her out of here. All we have to do is keep our mouths shut about it." he chewed at his lip piercing, a sure sign that he was on edge.

"I'm sure she's ok and all. If what happened that night was meant to be then it was meant to be. Who knows she's probably already found her family and happy. We just have to stay positive." she ran a hand over his leg.

"But..I just left her there in the middle of that god forsaken forest. I saw her face for a split second before I vanished and she was so hurt. We didn't even let her say fucking goodbye to us. I just did what Ashley said and..." he shook his head at looked away, dark tasseled hair falling in his face hiding his true feelings.

Jocelyn all but dropped her chopsticks in her ramen bowl at his confession. He was never the serious type and had a odd way of showing feelings. It was in the small things but in those small things it was what mattered most. His dark exterior was often overshadowed by a soft interior that he kept hidden away from only certain circle of people: his friends. He never talked about his own family and by he dressed and acted one could only guess it was not from a very inviting home. It was how Amara and Nick were most alike, almost brother and sister. Ever since the night they had let Amara go Nick was having a tough time coping, like he had betrayed his own family, his own blood. And it was eating at him.

"I have never heard you call Ashley, Ashley. You always call her china doll." Jocelyn conveyed worry.

Yea..well.." he picked absentmindedly on the seam of his black pants "she's Japanese not Chinese."

"Babe..now you're starting to scare me. What's wrong?"

Turning back to her he intertwined his hand in hers.

"I went back..I went back to the spot where I dropped off pixie stick. It couldn't have been no more than 5..maybe 10 minutes later. I felt horrible doing that to her. Just dropping her off like some fucking abandoned puppy. I couldn't do that. But it was too late. She was gone. I went looking for her and I couldn't find her nowhere. It's like she..like she's gone from the face of the earth. And I think she really is."

"Babe.." She kissed him softly on the lips looking deep into his dark brown eyes.

"No slobbering over each other in the restaurant you rabbits. Those are the rules." Ashley exaggerated as she came to the table and refilled their drinks. The only one not effected by this whole Houdini act was the one who orchestrated it, her. After Amara had left she had went back to her everyday routine of going to school and working in her parents restaurant. She acted as though none of this bothered her like it did the others.

Nick rolled his eyes and looked back to Ashley.

"What's your take on all of this? You've been secretive ever since we came back from our trip. I swear its that Asian magic crap you and grandmother do." His voice came barked, pointing a finger at her.

"Secretive? _Me?_ Oh no surely not." she smiled mischievously. "What kind of secret would I be keeping?"

—-

"My lord, a message has come. It's from the elves I think." Darin, the page hand, puffed out in a hurry.

Gimli's head did not even budge from looking up from his bookwork of accounting. Ever since he had been made Lord of the Glittering Caves he had been extra busy in the newly organized colony and making a living off of selling gems and stone work to neighboring kingdoms. Right now he was in the process of finishing up the new gates of Gondor and he was sure they would be the grandest that anyone would ever see. Also it was making him a quite a good profit.

"Gahh, blistering elves! Think they can call on me to get my finest gems for their hoard. If it is from that elf king up north then burn the thing!" he gruffed out and scratched even harder at his work.

"I don't think so. The seal is different. It has leaves and arrows on it. It came by an owl."

Gimli looked up from his work that was sprawled out on his desk in the most confused look he could muster. There before him was a small barn owl that screeched out at the sudden movement. Gimli flinched at the bird then blew at it in great puffs, trying to make it fly off his desk, but the owl did not move.

"Gahh stupid thing, what feather brained pointy earred twit sends a letter by owl?," he swiped the letter out of Darin's hand "Always talking to trees and animals like it's some wee child's fairy tale story. Next they will be prancing around on my doorstep."

Upon inspecting the letter's wax seal his heart warmed up and eyes got wide. It was none other that the seal of the Woodland prince, his best friend, Legolas. He let out a hearty laugh, broke the seal, and opened it. It had been many months since he had heard from Legolas and he was starting to get worried. He has last heard from him before winter had just set in and all this time he thought perhaps he finally moved back home since his health was not so well. But it did not appear so.

 _Greetings my short stout friend,_

 _Forgive me for sending you this message at a time that I know you are busy. I hope the gates of Gondor is proving to be a worthy project for you. I was hoping you could help me. By some twist of fate that this happened to me I come to find myself in charge of a young mortal woman that I shall say is very otherworldly. I came across her by accident in Rivendell and she is in search of her parents that gave her away seventeen years ago and all she has of them is a necklace. I have scoured books after books trying to find the origins of this necklace but have found no luck. I am almost positive that it was made here in Middle Earth. The chain I am convinced is mithril though rosy champagne colored in appearance. The only gem it has is a single stone that is colorless, clear, has many facets and seems to have its own aura if you hold it in the light just the right way. I thought perhaps you may have some records of who possibly made the necklace and who it was made for. As far as I can see it is of dwarvish make but elvish design. Any information will be most helpful._

 _Your elf friend, Legolas_

"A necklace? Why do I have a sinking feeling of past experiences?" he pondered in thought. All the elves and dwarves knew of the story of the ancient elf King Thingol and his necklace and how it turned into a bloody battle for priceless gems. Also all the elves and dwarves knew of the story of King Thranduil and his white gems of pure starlight and how he never gave the dwarves their rightful pay. Once again it became a battle for not only homeland and rights but rightful ownership. However, Thranduil in the end got back his necklace that once belonged to his late wife. Now here it was again, only Legolas this time, inquiring about a necklace that sounded like it possessed a priceless gem itself. Did he really want to get into this mess? He knew Legolas would never do such a thing and he wanted to help him in any way he could. But why did he get the feeling that the situation should be left well enough alone?

The owl screeched again making him jump out of his skin.

"Hush, before ye become fried chicken for my supper!" he trust a finger at the owl to intimidate it and looked over the letter once more.

"By my blazing beard this blasted elf will be the death of me. Darin, send word to get gem records from Erebor."

—

"Mmmai?"

"No Mae. Mae Govannen. Go..van..nen"

"Go van in?"

"No..ah Elladan help me!" Elrohir looked dejectedly to his twin.

"Do not look at me I have already tried with her." he took a bite out of his apple, casually strolling about the gazebo they had occupied to descend elvish lessons upon me.

"You are no help. Legolas? Oh for pity sake Legolas get your head out of that old book and help me."

Legolas straightened up in his seat, draping a lanky leg over the other, peering over another volume of a guard scheduling round.

"This was your idea Elrohir not mine." Legolas smirked at him, concentrating back towards his reading.

This had been their new project and whatever possessed Elrohir to suddenly decide to teach me Sindarin was beyond me. It was his theory that I needed to learn so I could understand my studies that I was going to start in 3 days. My argument was why did I need to learn when they could speak English or Common as they called it. However, this was not a suitable excuse for him as he was persistent that I learn. In some ways I too did find it interesting but nostalgic at the same time. It wasn't so long ago I was learning Japanese when I once lived with Ashley. Now it was almost deja vu. This family had sheltered me into their home. Clothed me, fed me, healed me and now I was learning their language.

"Perhaps I can be of service?" an elderly man's voice came from the entrance of the gazebo. The twins bickering stopped abruptly to look at their unexpected visitor. A short, white haired, shoeless man dressed in just a button down shirt and a silver blue vest along with capris pants stood before us. His small stature was supported by a walking stick that acted as a cane for him. The most striking feature of him was his large hairy feet.

"Pardon my intrusion. I couldn't help but overhear your lessons. Going poorly I might add. One thing you tall folk, who already know the language, don't understand is that it is quite different when you are not the doing the learning. You have lived forever and a day that I believe you have quite forgotten when you were once children learning from your studies. Now shoo..shoo. Get along now and let me help the star lady." the little man hobbled over on his cane scuffling along the way over to me. I couldn't help but notice that he too had pointy ears but larger and wider. Maybe an elf midget?

"Oh come now Bilbo do not hurt Elrohir's feelings too much" Legolas chuckled.

Elrohir scooted over on the bench giving Bilbo some room to sit and sliding Legolas a death glare. Bilbo hopped himself up on the bench resting his hands on his cane.

"So sorry we haven't been introduced yet dear star lady. I so much wanted to get out of my cubby hole and see you, but unfortunately my old age has caught up with me I'm afraid. You are certainly the talk of Rivendell. Oh my where are my manners, I am Bilbo Baggins of Bag Inn of the Shire. At your service."

I was still shocked for a moment at the size of him, but curious of what he was. I could tell he was no elf or race of men, especially by the looks of his feet. Needless to say he was adorable and reminded me of my elderly patients back home. He just had that grandpa charm to him.

"Nice to meet you Bilbo. You don't have to call me star lady. My name is Amara. Though I must say I didn't think there were dwarves living here." I smiled at him. He let out a deep laugh, slapping his knee with the others busting out in laughter as well. I looked towards Elrohir, Elladan and Legolas for what I had said to cause the outburst, but it was useless. They were in a fit of giggles. A blush crept up on my cheeks, now embarrassed.

 _"_ _Good job Amara. You meet a dwarf for the first time and embarrass your ass."_

"Oh my," wiping a tear that had escaped from his eye from laughing so hard "I haven't been mistaken for a dwarf in nearly 60 years! The last one was a fire breathing dragon. Oh no silly girl, I'm a hobbit."

My eyes got wide and my jaw slacked a little from his words.

 _"_ _A dragon?! A fucking fire breathing flying lizard from the seventh circle of hell?! What kind of fucking world am I in?!"_

"Child don't be alarmed he was the last of his kind and certainly dead in the bottom of a lake."

"Oh…," my voice croaked out, "that's good." nodding more to myself than his answer. The elves snickered as Bilbo tried to shoo them away.

"Now my dear where were we? Oh yes. Saying hello."

—

After a tedious lesson, a bit of cakes, tea, and endless hours of story telling from Bilbo, Amara called it quits. I could tell she was soaking up all she could learn of this world and Bilbo was willing to tell her anything she wanted to know. The old hobbit was a master story teller and from what I had heard was writing a book about his tales to the Lonely Mountain and the quest to Erebor. No doubt it would be a much read tale once completed. Even I was a little curious about reading a bit of it myself.

The sun had long since set and the stars were shining bright, glistening the sky. I never knew I would meet such woman from an unknown world from those faraway stars. So far away yet beautiful and numerous in the dark sea of the sky, which one was her world? I could tell she was eager to learn more about this one, but I often saw her unseen feelings. Loneliness, homesickness, longing. It hit close to me and I could not stand to see her suffer so. That was why I had a surprise for her.

We were both walking to the healing ward having parted from the twins hours ago. Before we could reach the door I grabbed her hand, making her stop. Shifting towards me with a confused look I led her to the staircase.

"What is it Legolas?" she asked.

"A surprise."

Her face lit up in a smile and trailed behind me up the stairs and around to the third floor. Leading her back to our tower room I stopped and looked back to her, taking in her eagerness.

"Close your eyes."

She did as asked and I opened the door leading her inside.

"One moment."

I had tried to recreate what she had told me of her world. I had found plush large feathered mattresses and laid them upon the floor covering them with fur blankets and pillows. I had added a bookshelf to wall on the farthest end and had filled it with books of health and medicine. Something I was sure she would enjoy. To add lighting to the room I had scattered candles here and there. Even on little trays on either side of the make shift foo ton along with her time stopper. Hopefully this would feel more like home away from home. Oddly I had felt nervous showing her, thinking me strange for doing this. But as she had said she was my friend. I wasn't just her guardian and I needed to take care of her and her well being. Guiding her inside I brought her to the center of the room.

"Alright...open them."

She opened them and her eyes sparkled in astonishment as a gasp left her lips.

"What?!," she looked around with a smile growing wide, "Legolas did you do this?"

I nodded my smile matching hers.

"Oh my god this is..this is amazing." I could see her eyes glisten with threatening tears and trying hard to fight them back, chewing her bottom lip.

"I know that you have been homesick and I know this has been quite a culture shock from the beginning, but I want you to feel at peace here. Whenever you are happy, angry, frustrated or lonely you can come here and be at home. Although..I am not sure if I got the foo-ton right."

"Legolas..it's perfect!" she breathed out and embraced me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I held her close to me enough to smell the lavender and lemongrass from her hair. It was such a calming scent no doubt from Lady Celebrian's soaps.

She pulled away and peered up at me with her large expressive eyes. Such eyes. So wild and exotic that I had never seen such before. They were as green as the forests of my homeland, but a gold ring seemed to circle around spidering away from her dark pupils.

 ** _"_** ** _Like sunlight through the trees."_**

"Thank you so much. You didn't have to do this." her words were no more than a whisper.

"I wanted to. For you."

Turning towards the foo-ton she let out a little squeak and nose dived in, curling up in the fur blankets

"Oh my god Legolas this is so comfy! Get in!"

"In?" my voice faltered. Instantly my joy turned into nervousness. Was she mad?!

"What's wrong?"

"I can not get in..with you..I have never..I..it is immoral." I could feel my cheeks and ears get hot from my apparent blundering which she found amusing.

"Oh you are so gutter brained! I don't mean like that. Just to lay here with me. There is nothing wrong with that. Pretend we are both together side by side sitting on a bench."

 ** _"_** ** _A bench. Together. Nothing wrong with that. There is nothing intimate about that. We are friends. Although she is a very attractive elleth..er woman. I do not view her like that. It is fine."_** I tried to coach myself into granting her request.

 ** _"_** ** _You sure about that because your body seems to have a different answer."_** My thoughts retaliated

 ** _"_** ** _She is just a woman."_**

Slipping off my boots I laid down beside her, covering myself expertly with one of the fur blankets to cover my obvious male bodily reaction.

"See that wasn't so hard. And look at the view!"

"View?" I turned to her suddenly afraid she had seen.

"Yes out the window. It's the perfect view of the full moon. Isn't it beautiful?" Looking before me out the bay window the moonlight shined down upon us.

The first night she had come to Middle Earth it was a full moon. Surely it could not have been a month already. Gazing back towards her, the light caught all of her features. Her hair was fanned out about her and the angles of her face were softened. Her arched brows were dark against her pale skin and a small dimple graced her cheek from her smile. Her slim neck descended down a valley to the notches of her greeting collar bones disappearing down into her shirt to lands unknown to me. Small things I seemed to have missed before.

 ** _"_** ** _Beautiful indeed."_**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 Satellite Heart

I awoke to the warm morning light softly caressing across my face, my heavy eyes drifting towards its' presence. I had not realized that I had left the curtains drawn open. I usually liked my room dark and quiet, but I did not question the change. My eyes wondered shut again as I relaxed back into my soft bed.

 ** _"_** ** _But Legolas you never leave the curtains open."_**

No... No I do not.

My eyes flew open as I stared out the window in front of me, my heart thundering in panic in my chest. Getting a good dose of my scenery I knew that I was definitely not in my room or my bed.

 ** _"_** ** _The tower room..I must have fallen asleep here. All I remember was talking to Amara late into the night and.."_**

A soft moan came from a body next to me, their arm draped over my waist, a leg intertwined with mine and a head of dark hair curled up on my left shoulder. The invading scent was all to familiar. It was Amara. Once again we had stayed up talking till we had both fallen asleep this time in the tower room. Her body was warm and inviting and I couldn't help but pull her closer to me. If the moonlight was beautiful upon her, then the first morning light was absolutely radiant. Her body gave off the golden glow from the sun's rays illuminating her.

 ** _"_** ** _Surely you are the morning star for your light burns away the darkness to bring in a new dawn."_**

Carefully I placed a small kiss in her hair relishing her scent. Wait…what was this? I have never acted this way before. I knew she was my ward and I her guardian, but what was it about her that made me this way? Surely I could not be. No. What was I thinking? Her being one of the Edian it would not work. Aragorn was lucky but I, no, luck never seemed to be in my fortune.

I pushed the thoughts away from my mind and silently slipped out of the "foo- ton" and put on my boots, being as quiet as I could as not to disturb Amara. I neared the doorway allowing one more glance at her. I had to keep my emotions in check. Besides once we did find her parents who was to say she would be here for much longer.

Trailing down the corridors and down the stairwell I came to the entrance of the Healing ward. Viewing Rivendell in just the barely visible sunlight, it appeared that no one was hardly about, which was an odd sight to see. There was still a slight chill to the air and there was a blanket of fog that traveled down the river like a shadow. I descended down the steps onto the bridge and was met with Lady Celebrian making her way from the other side with a bundle of clothes in her arms. When she saw me coming toward her I could see surprise fill her eyes.

" **Oh, good morning Legolas. You are up early and looking well today. Coming down for breakfast?"** she greeted me with a smile.

 **"Breakfast milady?"** I asked, my brows coming together to betray my confusion. **"This may sound silly but what hour is it?"**

 **"It is nearly seven. Everything alright?"**

I nodded my head.

Me? Up early for once? It has been quite a while since I had risen with my people since my declining health. My body was in a constant state of weariness but this morning I oddly felt well rested.

 **"If you do not mind me asking, how do I look...well?**

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

 **"I am not sure. But you look..brighter. Well I must be off. I have Amara's new clothes from the tailor for when she begins her studies and I want to see how they fit on her."**

She began to leave and panic set in me again. If she reached her room she would find that Amara would not be there and wonder where she is. No doubt looking to me for an explanation. An explanation I really did not want to tell. My mind was reeling at the possibilities of how I could easily loose my head if Lady Celebrian or Lord Elrond found out Amara and I had shared a bed... together.

 **"Milady wait!"**

My outburst caused her to look back at me quite unaware.

 **"She is not there."**

 **"Oh? Where is she?"**

 **"She…she is out. Out within the city of Rivendell. With her cam-er-a as she calls it. She wanted to get up early to see the morning rays upon the city."**

I had lied. By Valar, I could not even tell if it was a decent lie to save my neck.

 **"I see. Well I shall see her later then when she returns. Thank you Legolas."**

I bowed my head to her headed towards the dining hall. Perhaps a meal would clear my head of Amara and my seemingly growing feelings for her. Or was it my growing lust? I could not even tell.

My last adventures into wooing the fairer sex did not go according to plan. Then again I had beat around the bush for several hundred years about sharing my feelings to her. The one instance I got an opportunity to tell her how I truly felt, especially after surviving a war that we had no idea if we would live or die, it was stolen away. Not even by another elf, but a dwarf.

"Tauriel.." her name whispered out feeling strange uttering it on my tongue. I had loved her once. However, it seemed though our love was not meant to be. After the Battle of the Five we barely spoke to one another. Our friendship was awkward without bringing up our seemly "almost" relationship. We had tried to reconcile but before we could my father had sent me away to the wild to learn of a new name: Strider. It was 10 years after the war when I met the very young future King of Gondor. Our friendship was instant and soon I forgot all about home and did not return till Aragorn and I had delivered the creature Gollum to my father's halls. I was surprised to see Tauriel still there and once again we had tried to reconcile but it was very short lived. The creature Gollum escaped and my father decided that it was time for me to move on from my infatuation with Tauriel and use me as an emissary for the Council of Elrond for the One Ring.

When I was a child I always tended be reserved and quiet. I was simply a young prince growing up in a kingdom being prepped and prepared to be a strong warrior and future leader. When Tauriel was brought to Mirkwood she helped me break out of my shell a little and we grew up to be the best of friends and very competitive towards one another, though it made our friendship stronger. I had hoped at one time to court her properly, speak my love to her, eventually marry her. The last sixty years had put a wedge between us and it was as wide as a canyon. Now here I was, strangely again forming a blossoming friendship, a friendship I desperately needed. Amara saw me, she made me feel. She made me feel and I did not like it. It scared me beyond belief and I needed to put an end to it before it became something much deeper only to be stolen away again. I could not bare it.

—

It was well into the afternoon when I finally woke up in the futon Legolas had made. I was so surprised how he had constructed this set up so fast in a short amount of time, but I could tell he put great thought into it. I had slept so soundly and comfortably in it. Something that I really hadn't had in a long time. For months, before I came here, I would have these God awful nightmares every time I slept till I was almost convinced I was in some sort Stephen King movie. But since I had been here they were gone and that I was greatly thankful for. Maybe it was too much stress from living in Sheriff McCullough's house, who knows. Pulling the warm fur blankets tighter around me I happened to catch a hidden lingering scent. A musk...no something else, something deeper more masculine, more..

I shot up in a hurry.

" _Legolas! Oh dear Lord did we?! Yea..yea we did..we fell asleep."_

Looking to the side I found a empty hole. He was already up.

 _"_ _And probably thinking I'm a crazy floozie who asks guys to just hop in bed. Sure we're going to talk and act totally normal because that's what normal women do here. Ask men to come to bed and talk. Oh my fucking God Amara!"_

Sighing deeply I racked my hands through my hair. I had to talk to him. At least to make sure we were ok. I didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable and also I didn't want my new name to be Lady Slut-a-lot. I quickly got up and fixed my appearance then went to fix the futon. I fluffed out the blankets and set the pillows, once again being hit by the invading scent. Taking the pillow he laid on I inhaled deeply, taking it in.

 _"_ _Lavender.. chamomile and lavender. The tea he gets at night from the healers to help him sleep."_

Carefully I placed it in its spot, smoothing out the wrinkles with my hand. Satisfied with my work I wandered down to the lower level and across the bridge; I decided that I was in need of food. I certainly missed breakfast and by hell I wasn't going to miss lunch. I had the munchies like a stoner which usually meant one thing.

 _"_ _Good God please don't let it be that time already. How long has it been?! 3..4 weeks?! Fuck it! Fuck it all to hell hormones!"_

I passed by onlookers as I weaved my way around the hallways and to the dining hall. I had gotten used to the looks they gave me when they only saw me in a pair jeans and a t-shirt. I got the vibe that women didn't do that here which had been obvious for the past month.

 _"_ _At least I'm wearing black jeans. Black is a safe color during the plague of blood."_

When I entered the dining hall barely anyone was there, but a small table of breads and tea had been set for anyone who might need a refreshment. Observing my selections I didn't have many to choose from. One bread appeared to be some form of the richly grained variety, another baked with nuts and the last a plain fluffy white loaf. To go along with these breads was a vast array of jams, jellies and marmalade with butter and honey. Not really being a fan of the first two I opted for the fluffy loaf. Taking a bread knife I sliced off a small portion to test the flavor, popping it into my mouth. The texture was moist, simply melted into your mouth like the buttery flavor it had with a hint of almond. This didn't taste like a bread at all, more like a sweet pound cake. That was it. That's all it took for me to worship my hormonal sweet tooth.

 _"_ _Oh sweet baby Jesus. I'm stealing this. I for real am."_

Looking around I found no one to be watching me in any interest of what I was about to do. Finding a couple of folded napkins at the end of the table I snatched them, wrapping up my prized cake with delicate ease, and raced out the way I came.

 _"_ _It's mine bitches, it's all mine!"_

I'm sure I had a crazed look upon my face but I didn't care. This little treasure was mine. I was nearing the bridge and all I needed to do was go around a few more corners. Coming around the second corner I unexpectedly hit face first into a solid body, recoiling me a bit. Large hands steadied me and a curtain of platinum blonde hair came into my field of vision. At first I though it was Legolas but on deeper inspection I found it to be someone completely different. I had noticed this elf every once an awhile during meals or talking to Lord Elrond, but never seen him up close. He had a strong angular face with a striking jawline. His light blue eyes were hooded by bushy dark eyebrows. He was adorned in light green robes with gold inlaid designs threaded in with matching trousers and dark boots peeking out underneath. At the base of his neck was a broach of a golden flower, its petals harboring a single green gemstone at it's center. Somewhere in my mind the flower blared a warning, but I couldn't remember why. Backing away I tried my best to mutter an apology in broken elvish, eager to continue on in my escape.

"It is alright though I must say you should be careful next time. You never know who you may run into." his voice was deep yet kind.

Giving a quick nod, I brushed past him and continued my way, peering over my shoulder to give him one last glance. He gave me the creeps and I didn't know why. He hadn't done anything to me. I felt like it was something Ashley told me, something important, but ever since I arrived here I had had a hard time remembering what had happened that night.

Slinking my way back to my room I quietly closed the door. I didn't want the healers on duty to notice I had been gone all night and with not just myself, but with Legolas.

"There you are! I wondered when you were going to return." a sweet feminine voice behind me announced their presence, giving me a slight heart attack.

Whipping my head around, it was none other than Lady Celebrian who was making use of my bed laying out various clothing items and matching up what looked best with which outfit.

"Oh hi. How long have you been here?" I tucked my stolen bread loaf behind me.

"Only for a little bit. Megilwen came by early this morning and dropped off your new clothes for your healers training. I was going to come to your room this morning but Legolas stopped me and said you had gone out to see the sights again with your picture device."

Sneaking around her I dropped my bread off on the table. So Legolas had lied for me? Smart elf. No doubt in this society it was probably seen as immoral or socially degrading to be in bed with someone other than your spouse or even with a friend. I could only imagine their views on premarital relations. But we were just friends. I doubt it he even saw me as anything more than such. We just so happened to get caught up talking to one another and had fallen asleep. Nothing happened.

"Oh yea. I got some great pictures. So how many dresses did Megilwen make?" I played along with Legolas's lie and quickly changed the subject.

"She made five of them. Along with aprons. And then one that is extra special."

All of the dresses looked very plain jane with earth tone colors, but practical if I had to guess. All long sleeved but nothing of the billowy type that hung to the ground that could potentially get in the way. The "special" one was still wrapped up in brown paper and twine and Lady Celebrian looked like she was eager for me to see it.

"What's the special one?"

Her mischievous smile held mystery as she told me to go ahead and open it. Pulling at the twine and folding back the paper the most jaw dropping dress I had ever seen came into view.

"What..what is this dress for?!" I nearly screeched.

I held up a soft butter sleeveless cream dress that was studded in floral rhinestone designs at its' thick straps that tampered down to the bust of an empire line with a silk skirt that reached down to the ankles. Taking a good look at it I flipped to the backside and the neck line cut down into a small v and trimmed in the same floral rhinestone theme. It was beyond gorgeous and was almost angelic. There was no way I could wear this.

"I...it's beautiful but..I can't wear this! It's too priceless beyond words. What would even wear this too?!"

"In 3 weeks time there will be a dance in celebration of the summer that is to come. It is tradition for the elves this time of year to try and seek out a partner for potential marriage. I thought perhaps you might like to go."

I nearly choked on the vomit I held back.

"Potential marriage? No, no, no. There is no way!"

Her once straight face changed to a laugh and it echoed in the room.

"I jest Amara. I merely mean to ask if you want to go so that you may have fun."

"I..I don't know.."

"Do not worry about getting a partner for the dance. It is ladies choice. Multiple ellon can ask a elleth to be their partner for the dance but it is ultimately up to her which one will be her partner for the evening."

It was a minor relief though it did not ease my mind any. What exactly did she have hiding up her sleeve?

—-

I watched her go, carrying her small stolen bread loaf. It was hard to believe it was her after all these years, but there was no denying it. Her very facial features copied that of her father's only softer with a feminine touch. She looked nothing like her sister who had took more of her mother's looks and the beauty of Luthien of ages past. She reminded me of one of her ancestors, one who I had served with upmost loyalty by the way she walked with rigor, right down to her forest like eyes. Those were times where my memories had trouble remembering.

I found myself entering Lord Elrond's study who seemed to be deeply engrossed in his work.

 **"Your daughter ran into me on the way here. She seems to be a spirited one."**

On mention of his youngest child his concentration broke.

 **"I know. It is why I am having her start in the healer's training to keep a close eye on her. She is too flighty and always on the move. And I suspect she was out early this morning as well since she was not present in the Healing House. Which is why I was wanting to talk with you. Do you have any extra placements for your class?"**

 **"Aye, I do."**

 **"Good. I will send her to be introduced to you properly so she may start. I have a feeling she is hiding something and I want to find out what it is. I think Legolas may also be apart of it but I am not for certain."**

I felt as though he was keeping a secret himself. I know he wanted to go slow with opening up to Amara about her true heritage, but sooner or later she was going to need some subtle hints along the way so the shock would not be so bad when she did find out. Even her starting to learn elvish was a small step. I had noticed her around Rivendell. She would often times wait, for hours on end, for the messengers to arrive to see if there was any news at all about her parents. However, we knew there would be none. At least not till Gandalf arrived.

 **"Gandalf should be getting that letter soon. What do you think? Another two maybe three weeks we shall see him?"** I stated, making mention of the looming event to come in the air.

 **"Perhaps. He is a strange wizard. Who knows when he shall arrive."** he rubbed his forehead with anxiety.

 **"At least then the spell will be broken. She will see then where her true home lies and it will be right here at her feet. It will be a wonderful day of rejoicing. Look towards the good times to come my friend."** I tried to portray some optimism.

He nodded in agreement.

" **You are right. For once let us not think of the doom to come in this world. The ring is destroyed. Nothing can come in the way now of our happiness."**

Sitting in one of the chairs near his desk my vision changed to the view from outside.

 **"I also hear Legolas has been getting out more, being social. I heard he also got up early this morning**."

 **"Yes he did. It has been nearly ten months since he has gotten up early like that. Nearly ten months since he had his first incident. My wife said this morning that he actually looked...brighter."**

Looking back towards my old friend I could not help but smile.

 **"Seems like Amara has been rubbing off on him. She may yet do him good."**

He did not look none too impressed by my statement.

 **"On the contrary I am hoping he will learn how to stand on his own two feet than to start a future relationship physically burdened, relying on another to help his condition."**

 **"What about to cure not to help?"** I countered back

 **"You know full well he can not be healed. It will never be healed. We can not give him hope where there is none."** he pressed.

" **Then I think, my friend, you may want to reconsider me taking her on. Because I think she will try to help him whether you approve or not."** I stood abruptly and intended to exit his study. **"You know full well what I have seen. What I know what the Valar are capable of doing. Do not challenge them my lord. For their ways are higher than ours."**

I left his study in a whirl. I knew better than to start an argument with him, but I knew even more than to question fate. There was a reason why Amara had come at such a time as this and I believed it was to heal Legolas. Both in body and mind, though I knew the extent of healing did not just end with Legolas, but farther away from these lands. Amara would need extensive training and not just the kind of training I taught my other students, but something deeper, a deeper magic that was as old as the earth itself.

—-

I finally found Legolas later that evening sitting on the banks of the river by the tree line. The sun was just beginning to set over the mountains of the valley making the river give off a bright sparkle. He didn't even seem to hear me when I came to sit down beside him. This was my chance to set things straight and hopefully apologize.

"So I ran off this morning and took pictures huh?" I peered over at him trying to break the ice. His blank expression didn't budge.

"I had to make some sort of excuse for you." his voice monotone. I was confused by his behavior. He had turned to the elvish artistic abilities of hiding his true feelings and I had a feeling I was going to have to work at him to make him crack.

"Well I greatly appreciate it and I wanted to.."

"We can not continue this. We can not develop feelings for one another, it will not work."

His sudden confession was a hit heavy upon my heart. Never would I think he would say that feelings for one another would compromise our friendship. That's all we were right, friends? I hadn't really thought about or addressed it to myself if I had feelings for him or not. He had done things for me that we kind and sweet, but was I just delving too deeply into those actions? For all I knew it was probably some taboo law for an elf to love a human or visa versa. Or maybe it really was my stupid girly hormones. No, right now I didn't need a boyfriend or significant other. He was simply my friend and I, his.

"Legolas you are my friend. I appreciate all you have done for me but…there are no…feelings. There is nothing to worry about."

He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut.

"You do not understand. You can not. I can not continue this because if I do I will die. I know I vowed to be your guardian and that I vowed to you that you would not loose me, but there are some things I can not bare to see if it were suddenly gone."

"What do you mean?"

"You...are someone I care about and if you were to leave I would die."

This was deep. Almost too deep. Surely he wouldn't commit suicide if I had to leave? There was no way I could let him do this to himself. I had to know the answers now.

"Legolas what's wrong? Be frank with me, why are you really here getting treatment? And don't tell me the same doctored bull shit answer because it won't work. I'm tried of being beat around the bush."

His weary eyes opened. All I could see in them was sadness and disappointment.

"No doubt you have learned by now that elves are immortal. Our bodies are resistant to the decay of mortality and disease. Only to be slain in battle. But there is another thing..." he let out a shaky breath. I could tell this was going to be difficult for him.

"Is it...a broken heart?" My words spoke for him.

His jaw set firmly and looked away down the river in disgust. From his rigid posture I could tell I hit the mark right on the nose. I wasn't exactly sure if I wanted to know the truth now. I had come to care for him but he was the way he was over a past love. Did I really want to get involved? Even if he still loved them? I didn't want him to attach feelings he really needed for something like that onto me. Especially if I didn't know if I could return the feelings.

"Then you know there is no cure for it," his voice cold and stern "and none live to survive it." he started to unbutton his shirt, starting from the collar on down. His fingers were quick and jerky in their movements as though he was forcing himself to do this. Then suddenly the evidence stared before me. Upon his chest was a cruel mark like nothing I had seen before. Black, purple, even dark red, it looked like a bruise that never begun to heal. The mark's center was at the place his heart was and exploded out through his veins like spidering streams in gnarly patterns. Beyond this observance there was nothing else I could describe it as.

"This is what I live with. From day in to day out I wait, wondering when I will draw my last breath. Any moment could be my last."

"My God.." the words escaped my lips before I knew I had said them "how...how did you survive that?" My jaw all but hung open in disbelief in what I was seeing.

He scoffed.

"Survive it? I would have rather died with it. Putting me out of my misery. It is but a shame to carry this." He angrily re-buttoned his shirt.

"But…the one who did this to you. They must know what they have done! They have caused you unnecessary grief! Did…did she leave you?!"

"Twas no lover that wronged me or no lover that passed on. I have told you this before."

He stood abruptly and made turn to leave but I quickly gathered myself up and caught his arm.

"Then who?"

Unshed tears brimmed in his eyes but I could tell he was using all his will power to hold them back. Then it donned on me like a bolt of lightning. He said he had grieved for a thousand years…the only death he has talked about had been..

"It was your mom wasn't it?"

"Aye...I was only a small child when it happened. You are only human and not of this world so you do not know, but the elves we inhabit a spirit, a fëa. It is our very eternal being. Once we find one who our heart and fëa loves and marry them, they become one, a bond. Even stronger when the couple has a child. It is a blessing from their bond. It can never be broken except in death."

Slowly the pieces of the puzzle were starting to make sense.

"So when she died the bond was broken. Resulting in a broken heart." I stated in understanding

He nodded.

"Then what about your father? Surely he is in the same shape as you are."

"One would think that, but alas that is not the case."

I scrunched my brows in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate.

"His state is determined on how my mother died."

"Which was?"

He hesitated, searching my face in what I could guess would be trust and confidentiality.

"I do not know if I should tell you.." His voice tapered off.

"Don't be scared Legolas. I won't say anything or tell anyone. That is a promise I can make to you. But I understand if you don't want to say." I stated firmly though gently.

After a thought he finally answered.

"...It was suicide."

I released a hold on his arm, quite startled at the news.

"Oh Legolas I'm so sorry. I can only imagine the pain, the suffering you and your father went through."

Steadily his features softened at my condolence.

"I thank you, but my father barely suffered. He felt betrayed and dishonored. Not to mention suicide in our culture is the highest offense to the Valar. An elf who commits the crime forsakes the immortal life given to them, choosing darkness over light. Their soul wanders the darkness never to see the welcoming Halls of Mandos." He leaned his back against the tree using its support to hold his body.

"My father did not suffer a broken heart nor shed a tear at her funeral and neither did the subjects."

It was starting to sink in as to why he was truly here. His father's subjects considered his mother's death a crime and a dishonor to the king. While the king remained strong and dismissed her death their child suffered, yet to mourn for her would be like sympathizing the enemy. Legolas had gotten the rebuttal of her death with a broken heart and now he too was labeled as a death sentence. Most likely shunned by his own kingdom.

 _"_ _That's why he's here for treatment, survive and get back into their good graces."_

"However," his words pulled me out of my thoughts "I have always wondered if perhaps she did not commit suicide. That maybe she was...murdered."

"How so?"

He shook his head, looking so lost.

"I do not know. I have always had this feeling, but then again it may be wishful thinking."

I touched his hand softly, interlacing my fingers in his, his dark blue eyes watching my movements.

"Do you truly think so?"

"Aye I do. I have always believed it."

"Then I will help you find the truth. Think of it as payment for helping me. Please, don't throw away this friendship. I understand that you value it greatly and you need someone. Just like I need someone. So let us be there for each other."

His thin lips curled into a smile.

"You are truly a star that has rained from the heavens. For you are my lucky star to have a friend such as you."

No doubt a blush creeped into my cheeks at his poetic words. For him to not have a broken heart over a girlfriend was boggling to me because he seemed to have quite the silver tongue.

"It's what friends are for."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 The First Waltz

Besides putting on their elvish nightgowns, this would be the first official dress of their people I would be donning since my arrival. Needless to say it was odd not seeing myself in jeans and a t-shirt. Viewing myself in the floor length mirror I smoothed out the chocolate brown skirt that reached to my ankles. The long sleeve white cotton shirt was adorned with a light green vest with brown buttons down the front. For some reason it reminded me of the German dirndl.

 _"_ _At least my name isn't Helga and I'm not serving beer."_

I put my feet in little brown flat type shoes and all that was left was my hair. Should I leave it down like the rest of the elves or up and out of my face?

 _"_ _Well I highly doubt you will be cutting anyone open soon but you never know_."

Up it was. Twisting it around I made a low bun in the back only to have two wisps of hair hang down on either side of my face. I grimaced at the face invaders and tucked them behind my ears. With one final look I was complete.

"I look ridiculous." I muttered to myself but there was no time to argue over looks, I was going to be late if I didn't hurry up.

It almost felt like I was at work at the nursing home on the weekends, waking up at 5am to be at work by 6:30. Being a month out of practice had took a toll out on me as I was now used to sleeping in. I had one small bag of coffee left for safe keeping in my backpack and I was almost tempted to make a cup, but first I would have to find equipment to make it.

 _"_ _Oh well maybe next time."_

Heading out the door with my notebook and pen I set aside from the night before, I made my way down the hallway to the surgery. I could hear the quiet chatter of the other students and all of a sudden I felt nervous. I would be the only human in a class full of older more experienced elves, who no doubt, would be wondering what on earth I was doing here. Softly pushing open the door, I tried to make myself as invisible as possible, sneaking to the back where there was an empty table. Though stealthy, I noticed the students had grown quiet as I graced myself with my presence in the small class of about fifteen. I noticed through small glances that some elves were staring at me or throwing me strange looks, only to converse with another. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. About that time Lord Elrond walked in, books in hand and wearing crimson flowing robes trimmed in gold along with a gold circlet on his head, looking every bit the part of a professor.

 _"_ _As long as I don't have to say my name, my age, and my favorite color I'll be fine. Surely I won't. This isn't like school back home where I'm the new exchange student."_

He set down his books on a overcrowded table of parchments, vials and glasses of God knows what and several inks and quills.

"Good morning, no doubt you have met our newest on comer. I trust you will welcome her with open arms and help her along the way. Now today we are starting off with rounds and then we shall regroup and go over the schedule for today. We shall be going over physiology of back muscles and then this afternoon we have troops coming in so we will get some practice in for treatments and sutures. So let us go ahead and get started." His voice was authoritative as a soldier yet humble as a servant. At once all the students stood and followed him to the hall as I trailed along behind them. Although I had been here for a month I really didn't realize that Legolas and I were not the only guests here in the healing house. The first door we came to was not Legolas at all, but an elf named Hèrion. He was a chief of the guards of Rivendell, burly, with sharp blue eyes and fiery red hair. His current situation was that he had broken his right leg during an excursion when he had fallen off his horse and then horse on him. He had been here for 6 weeks and was nearly on the mend. Three elves were assigned to him.

Our second guest further down the hallway was a soldier, this time a more youngish fellow with light brown hair that seemed to have a mischievous glint to him in a cheeky sort of way. He had been on an excursion a week prior and was being treated for a stab wound near his left hip. Another three were assigned.

Our third was actually a young pregnant elf lady who had come in along with her husband for a check up to see how progress was going. By the looks of things it wouldn't be too much longer before she was due. Yet another three were assigned for duty.

The fourth on our list was Legolas. He was due for more treatments this morning. He looked a little rough, almost though he hadn't gotten much sleep. He gave a small smile in my direction when he saw me. No doubt as encouragement. Three more were assigned to him.

Our last guest in the healing ward was an elf from the city. A blacksmith by trade, it appeared that he may have gotten a little too close to his fire and burned part of his calf oh his left leg. It was easily a second degree burn by the looks of the blisters and singed skin. The last 3 elves were assigned to him, leaving me by myself. I had taken notes on all the patients, but suddenly I found myself to be alone with just me and Lord Elrond. Curious I turned to Lord Elrond giving him a lost look.

"What am I to do?"

"I have someone special for you. Another patient of ours that has been here for awhile now. Come, follow me." He smiled gently.

I followed his swishing robes outside and away from the House of Healing. Going down a small pathway towards the woods it led to a much smaller dwelling that was carved out of a tree yet somehow worked its way into the stone.

" _Wait, I've been here before..."_

"I need a special eye on this one. He has harassed off many of my students and I fear perhaps he is going...senile. I want you to spend the morning with him and then at noon return to the surgery. We will work one on one on suture techniques."

He gave a firm knock on the door.

"No thank you! Go away! You know perfectly well I don't care what he says I am in fit, good health, and I am not going to do anything rash!" I door swung open in such a force I thought it would snap the hinges. There stood before us was none other than Bilbo the hobbit wrapped up warmly in a dark blue robe. Taken back by the surprise to not find students, but Lord Elrond himself, he began to back track and stutter.

"Oh my..well this is unexpected. I thought it was one of your pupils. You know I don't mean nothing by it, its just that..that...," he let out a huff "I am perfectly fine living alone. My diet is fine, my health is fine...I'm fine."

"I agree perfectly well. I do, however, have someone to help you with everyday things."

"Lord Elrond I don't.." he finally took notice of my presence as his tune changed in an instant "Lady Amara! Oh dear child come in, come in!" he grabbed my hand leading me inside his little house "Why didn't you tell me it was Amara from the start?"

"You did not give me a moment to tell you mellon."

A small sniff came the hobbit and he nodded his head.

"Apology accepted." With a firm slam of the door in Lord Elrond's face, he turned towards me with a giant grin, rubbing his hands together.

"Now, where do we begin?"

Never before have I had anyone slam a door in my face, let alone a hobbit. I had a feeling that Amara would be good for Bilbo, especially since they had met before from what I had heard from my twin sons. Also she would probably pick up more elvish from their interactions. There was no doubt in my mind that they would be perfect together.

Leaving the small residence of Bilbo I proceeded back to the ward. I wanted to look in on Legolas to see how he was fairing. I had been surprised he had not had anymore attacks in a month's time which was rather unusual for him. It almost made me suspect that he was due for another fairly soon. I reached his room and knocked on the door. Hearing his soft reply of invitation I went in and found him dressing himself in dark blue tunic and trousers and black boots. He was sitting on his bed away from me, but I could see him in the reflection of the window latching the buttons together in front.

 **"Already dressed? Before you would sleep in longer after rounds were over with."** I voiced my thoughts, looking at the new report from my students on his dining table they had left for me on their inspection of his broken heart.

 **"I thought I might work on some archery. It has been awhile since I have let my bow sing. And she has long been silent."** he finished latching his collar.

 **"Says here the mark has not grown. In fact it is the same size as last week and the week before and the week before that. At least comparing it with old records."**

He was now putting on his bracers, tying them with ease. Too much of him had changed so suddenly and it was making me wonder what was going on and had me slightly on edge.

 **"Aye, it is."** he said with hesitancy.

 **"Legolas I do not mean to pry into your personal life, but I would at least like to know the truth as your healer. You have been late or not even present at rounds during the morning or night. You have been by Amara's side ever since the day she came. And now just the other day you were up early. Not over a month ago I was writing to your father telling him to expect the worst and very soon, but now suddenly I find your progression...halted. Why the sudden change? Before it was all we could do to make you take a treatment and now I read "patient received treatment with no complaints.". It seems as though your output on life has changed."** I was blunt and honest but it was the only way to put it out in the open that I knew something was up.

 **"Why do you act surprised? Maybe it is because now I have something to live for. I may yet still die, but I am not in such a hurry now. I may yet still have a future left in this world before I depart."** his answer was heartfelt, to the point, and truthful, but I felt it was lacking something. Something he was not so willing to answer.

 **"This does not have anything to do with Amara does it? She still may leave. What then?"** the reflection of a smile on his face from the window was a dead give away. He harbored some sort of feelings, but what kind?

 **"Then we will remain friends. Just like Aragorn and I, till the end of her days. However, till that day comes she is my ward and I will help her in anyway I can."**

Well I could live with friendship as long as it grew into nothing more.

 **"Then why not play it safe and keep it that way. You can not afford another loss, for it may lead to the loss of you."** My voice was firm with my answer, hoping he would see eye to eye. He crossed the room and took down his white Galadrim bow from its resting place above the mantle fireplace and slung on his quiver of arrows. The gift was from Lady Galadriel from his journey with he Fellowship and was a prized possession of his yet I had not seen him shoot it once since his stay here.

 **"I know this, my lord."** he turned to face me.

His face held determination yet defiance. In some ways it reminded me of the look Arwen gave me when she told me she was no longer one of the Eldar and had forsaken her ship to Valinor. I remember feeling her cold hands, almost like death they were. The looming fate of her was tied to the Ring and I had used all my wits and power to keep her alive by aiding the one who she loved; Aragorn. If there was some sort of feelings for Amara and she were to leave by choice, how could I possibly keep Legolas alive? It would be a death sentence for him. His father would be devastated and the line of Thranduil would be gone. But what defiance was his? What was he trying to prove?

Accepting his answer I let him go by, exiting his room, and out of the healing ward. A dreaded feeling entered my heart and mind and I did not like its welcome. Maybe it was time I consulted another. She may hold an answer where I do not.

The morning went rather quickly for me tending to Bilbo, but needless to say he was very much looking forward to me coming back the next day. I had spent most of the morning chatting away with the old hobbit as he told me stories of the Shire, his much younger cousin Frodo, and many of his grand adventures. I couldn't help but soak it up like a sponge. Since I had absolutely no knowledge of the history of this world he made it his personal job to fill me in. He had a knack for being a story teller, but besides that I had helped him make breakfast, set out his laundry to be picked up by the elves, and cleaned some of his little home. By noon I had said my goodbyes and was now finding myself sitting at a table stitching a banana skin together with Lord Elrond.

"Not too far apart. Try closer together." he instructed inspecting my work as I scrunched my face in frustration.

"Wouldn't it be easier if I tried to do this on…oh I don't know…cloth or fabric?"

"That would be too easy now would it not?" he smirked in a teasing way. I couldn't help but smile at his easy going nature.

"I guess that's true. Might as well try to learn it on something similar to skin before actually doing it on skin."

"Very true indeed. I will teach you all kinds of stitches, surgeries, and procedures. I have no doubt in my mind you will be a very good healer with the proper instruction."

My eyes left my work and looked up into his grey ones. They held so much emotion that I couldn't decipher them all. The way he had taken me in and even decided to teach me. Now he had taken me under his wing in the healing practice, it was such a fatherly jester. Who knows, he may have just done it because I was the odd girl out and had the same curiosities just like the other elves.

His face held such an ageless wisdom yet I could tell he was way far older than Legolas. As though he had had many trials and tribulations. Some how even the circlet on his head made him look older by its owl like features dipping into a small v in the center then fanning out and up. Then, as though a sound caught his attention, his head jerked to the left straining to hear.

"What? What is it?"

"They are coming." he looked towards me "We will need every hand, no matter how bad the outcome. Come follow me." By that time a horn could be heard outside sounding as loud as it could. In some ways the echo of the horn remind me of the ambulances in my world resonating in a deep long honk. I set down my stitched banana in a clump and trialed off after Lord Elrond. His robes swished in his hurried movements as we made it to the entry way when I saw the troops roaring in on their horses. When he said we would have wounded he wasn't lying. Coming to a sudden halt, the uninjured riders dismounted and began tending to the ones who needed medical help. Three were injured, two were hit by gruesome black arrows. One was hit in the back and the other in the thigh. The third was being helped off of his horse by two other soldiers, carefully being held up and guided towards the stairs. Lord Elrond barked out orders to the other healers and students as we rushed the first two inside and a stretcher was brought out for the third. He was eased down on the stretcher but as soon as he was laid down the stretcher was soaked in his blood. No doubt he had a nasty wound. My body felt frozen in all the action, my legs locked up and couldn't move. This was all too surreal.

 _"_ _What the hell is this?! What happened to him?!"_

"Amara!" my head jerked towards Lord Elrond "wash your hands. Get ready, you are with me."

 _"_ _Me?!"_

I forced myself to move and scurried off down the hall to the surgery ward and found a water basin by one of the preparation tables. I scrubbed as quick as I could, my hands felt jerky and I could her my thunderous heart beat in my ears. Drying off with a towel the last soldier was lead in on the stretcher and transferred to a table. He had an open gapping wound across his abdomen. Blood was pouring out at a rate that it was almost ungodly. All I could do was stand there and stare till I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder nearly scaring me out of my skin.

"I need you Amara. Can you do this?" Lord Elrond's urgent voice came from beside me. I swallowed hard, pushing back my fear and could only nod my head.

"Do not worry. I will guide you." I followed him over to the table, not sure what exactly to expect. He took a pair of scissors and cut away the access fabric, revealing the extent of the wound. It was even more grizzly up close in personal. I watched him from the other side of the table as he gathered more tools and was preparing to go into the battle zone.

"Wait..no gloves?"

He looked at me as though I had grown another head and shook no.

"Oh..ok." my voice cracked.

 _"_ _Of course why else wash your hands! There's no fucking gloves!"_

He started again, going into the wound.

"We need to find the bleed and stop it. I fear it is in his intestines...if we do not find it soon he will die. He is nearly there now." My hand found the wounded elf's. He was so young and fair of face like the rest of the elves, who knew if he had parents or even a family of his own. He just looked so young and vulnerable. Too young to die. My fingers felt for a pulse and it was so weak it was barely there. Suddenly a burst of blood shot out from his gut, spraying us with his life force. Out of shock and instinct my hand flew out and pressed into him. I didn't fully comprehend what I had just done when I saw that most of my hand was missing into his abdomen feeling something hot, squishy and slippery. I tried to think of something else and block the image of this gruesome nightmare.

"Its a hot wet noodle. Its a hot wet noodle. Its a hot wet noodle." I kept breathing out in my mantra. I looked back at Lord Elrond who was briefly shocked himself but staring more at where my hand was. The bleeding had stopped.

 **"My Lord...should we let her go? She is scared out of her wits end."** Another healer came up beside him. He all but glared at him with a cold stare that could've stop a clock.

 **"Let her go? She is the only thing keeping him from dying! If she says it is a hot wet noodle then it is a hot wet noodle now give me a damn clamp!"**

His commanding voice boomed as the other elf handed him a clamp.

"Its a hot wet noodle, its a hot wet noodle." he joined my mantra as he began his work.

I had no idea surgery was on my list of things to do today. A bloody surgery at that. It was long, it was extensive, but we did it. We had stopped the bleeding, stitched him, bandaged him and now he was on a journey of a long recovery. Staring down at my shaky hands the shock itself was finally getting to me, like a junkie coming down from a high. It was invigorating, a mad rush, the excitement, all of it was over a surgery that saved his life. My God, I had to do it again! I needed to feel it!

 _"_ _An adrenaline junkie. Lovely_."

I shook my head at the ridiculous thought and scrolled through my IPod. I was currently trying to wind down from today's events, letting the cool breeze chill my body from the balcony, but I couldn't find any music to suit my fancy. Usually when I had a bad day or wanted to escape reality back home I would loose it in my world of music. Vintage rock n roll for feel goods, modern punk and pop for motivation, classics to de-stress and concentrate, and my alternatives for the in-betweens. Nothing stood out, except the music outside my headphones. Pulling them off and setting them on my shoulders I listened from the melody down below coming from the Hall of Fire. From the dark evening I could see the lit up Hall from across the way. No doubt they were having a concert of their own or even a dance by the taste of the waltz music, so soft and calming.

"Beautiful is it not?" Legolas came up beside me from letting himself in my room, the wind caressing his hair.

"It is. Sounds like they are having a good time."

Shifting a sly gaze down at me, he grinned. No doubt in a teasing mood.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Me?" I nearly choked.

"Yes."

Taking my question as an answer, he took my right hand and guided it up to his shoulder, holding on to my left while he had his other hand on my waist. His navy blue eyes sparkled almost mischievously but I could tell he was completely serious at his request. He had no idea what he asked since I had the coordination of the local village drunk.

"Legolas...I can't dance." my voice was nervous.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise his mouth agape.

"You can not dance?! Well, then it is time for a lesson. A young lady such as yourself needs to know how to. Otherwise how will she ensnare her potential suitors."

I couldn't help but make a unladylike snort at his answer, rolling my eyes.

"I highly doubt I will be looking to ensnare suitors anytime soon."

"Well, who is to say you have not already?" His once mischievous features suddenly turned quite serious. I couldn't help but wonder. Surely he couldn't have feelings for me, some girl that was nothing more than a commoner to him, a nobody. What was I to him? His grip tightened and pulled me a little closer.

"Dance with me and pretend the world does not exist." his voice deep and pleading.

After that there was no going back, my mind was made up. My body had a will of its own as he guided me through the flowing dance across the balcony. Aiding me in each step. It was like he was whisking me away to another world, a world of our own. A twist here, a turn there. It was like I knew how to dance with him without even trying. Nothing could touch us, nothing could stop us, we were in control. Why couldn't it be more like this, just us? As the music ended in the distance he held me close, his velvety scent of warm musk with a hint of cinnamon was so inviting. Despite everything that happened to him I understood why he wanted to keep me at arms length but his actions spoke louder than his words. He didn't want to loose me and I didn't want to loose him. His touch, his comfort, his kindness, his friendship. How could anyone deny such feelings of what could possibly be love? But what did he feel? What did he truly want?

"Legolas what is this?" I whispered

"What do you want it to be?" his voice was gentle.

"I don't know."

"If you do not know then listen to your heart, your spirit. What do they say?" he urged on.

"I..I don't know. You have yet to tell me yours? After all I asked first." I counteracted, letting him go to study his face. I was seeking out the truth.

"It worries." he breathed out no doubt scared to voice his true feelings.

"Then perhaps...we should be careful. There is no need to rush." I guarded my answer.

His hand came up and held my face, sweeping back my hair. Such a delicate touch sent tingles through my body. He laid a small feathery kiss on my forehead, inhaling the scent of my hair.

"No, there is no need. Things like these are fragile and need to have the upmost care. The gentlest of wooing. Like a dance it is the song of the heart and we both need to learn the steps before we enter the dance floor. We do not want to trip and stumble." his words were deep and held true hidden meaning that didn't need to be explained or sought out just yet. But they were there out in the open.

"No that would be terrible. Especially if we are just learning to dance. We will have to learn slowly. We have time."

"All the time in the world."

He released his hold on me and stepped away.

"Have a pleasant evening. I will see you tomorrow." he kissed my hand and with light steps he left the balcony, leaving me in a whole new set of emotions. Now the cards were laid out on the table. We both knew each other's hand and the only thing left was to figure out if we wanted to play the game. Or to fold.


End file.
